Prince of Darkness
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: The World Goverment thought that the "Dark King" was dead. They thought he died without an heir. They were wrong. Now, that grievous error is about to bite them in the butt as he takes the center stage in Sabaody. NarutoxHarem! LEMONS! LANGUAGE! HUMOR!
1. Family Reunion

In the Human Auction house, all manner of men were dying horribly.

One's stomach had swollen to three times its normal size, and he was still reaching into the air, as if shoving food down his throat. Another guard was purple-faced, screaming at someone who wasn't there, but he was no longer screaming words. His voice was a wreck and every once and a while he coughed blood flew out of his mouth but he never stopped shrieking. Still another was shrieking as though the hounds of hell were hot on his heels, crying "Mine! It's mine!" and beating the stone walls of the gaol as though they were attacking him.

Others were lying down, dead, with no indication of what had killed them. And still the lone guard assailed the wall with his fists, weeping and sobbing and spitting, all semblance of sanity long since lost to him. His hands were bloody stumps, ruined, but he never, ever, stopped. Many men had been killed by one means or another, but some had been scorched with fire or exploded.

The walls ran red with their fresh blood.

The gate had been blown apart during their entrance, and the slaves cowered away from the figure that casually strolled through the dead and the dying. He paused, checking for survivors, scouring the fiflth and grime with what could only be considered as sheer digust and disdain. Blood dribbled from his fist, pooling down onto a thin wakizashi the like of which was fisted tightly in his right hand.

Blood amongst the carnage and chaos. It ran thick and seeped into the floor at his feet, the steady pitter patter causing one of the slaves, a scraggly, white haired man with rounded spectacles, to frown. He peered into the acrid smoke, careful to push up his spectacles with one hand while holding a flask with the other. Like the others, he soon found his gaze painfully town away from the stain that spattered the walls and ceiling when the intruder snickered softly.

_'Did they reallly think they could sell the two of us, pops?'_

Cleaning the blood from his ridiculously long knife, a lone lad tittered softly to himself. Standing amidst the smoldering corpses and covered in blood, he was currently in the process of scrubbing at weapon that seldom saw use in the pirate world; a wakizashi. Deeming the blade to be free of any blood or rust, he flicked it aside and reinserted his weapon within its white sheathe without even the slightest semblance of remorse for his victims.

"Well, that was unfortunate." His gaze swept across the cells, amusement flickering across his features as he beheld the terrified expressions that awaited him there. "It's a crying shame that they didn't put seastone cuffs on me." He offered a bemused shrug as the smoke cleared, exposing brilliant specks of sapphire amidst the gloom. "Huh." He paused, his cheeks dimpling into an uncostomary frown. "Maybe I forgot to tell them about that?"

"You could have knocked them out with haki, son." An thinly veiled voice of amusement echoed through the bars. "Did you really have to kill them?" The blond half- turned his face reappearing over his shoulder; exposing a whiskered cheek and disheveled bangs for the one who had spoken. It was the very same geezer whom he'd sat beside only a moment prior to the grisly execution of his ability.

"But where's the fun in that, Rayleigh-san?" He offered a mute shrug when the former first mate forced himself into a sitting position, his shoulders momentarily hunched over from the strain of standing after remaining seated for so very long. If he had any concern for the explosive collar attached to his neck, it was swiftly rectified. Known far and wide as the "Dark King" this man, Silvers Rayleigh, simply touched the collar wound around his neck as he bent; straightening at the knees.

Chains rattled harshly against the darkness, the thick gauntlets of steel and iron snapping taut as their victim tested his strength against the hardened locks of stone and steel. Trapped within this bondage, scraping off the dust-ridden floor for the first time in a long time, the gaunt figure forced himself into a kneeling position, before finally reclaiming his footing.

The blond noticeably stiffened.

He didn't want to be slouching when the old man took action; he wanted them to see that he was alive. _Alive and kicking,_ despite all they'd done to make certain that he was left otherwise. Whomever they were-_who could possibly have the gall to interrupt the auction-_the sound of shouting and weapons fire was rapidly drawing near to where they and the giant awaited.

Seconds later, two explosive collars detonated halfway across the room.

"Sugoi." The blond whistled in appreciation. "It looks like I went and got myself captured for nothing, Rayleigh-san." He faked a pout as the former first mate of Gol D. Roger stepped through the bars of the cage; now bent inward by sheer strength alone. Likewise, the giant followed soon thereafter, his hulking form taking up most, if not all of the slim space the backroom afforded.

"It's the thought that counts, Naruto-kun." Rayleigh exhaled lightly as he stepped over a corpse and tousled the boy's hair. "You're still young. You've much to learn about the ways of this world before you can claim to know as much as this old man." Known simply as "Naruto" the blond stuck out his tongue, folded his arms and jerked himself aside at the man's touch.

"Mom say's you've been gone for six years." He grumbled. "So...I came to drag your ass back."

"Ha!" Rayleigh laughed! "Six years? Has it really been that long?"

_**WHAM!**_

"You know damn well how long its been, you old fart!" Naruto lowered a steaming fist away from his mentor. "I can't believe you! You forgot all about your promise, didn't you you dam jiji!" Forcing himself to exhale, he awaited the inevitable outburst that was sure to come. No parent enjoyed being tossed around by their offspring, and surely Silvers Rayleigh would be no exception?

_Wrong._

"Hahah!" Despite the growing lump on his head, Rayleigh wasn't fazed in the least. "That's right, I promised you a ship, didn't I? Your mother must be worried sick about you, hmm?" For a moment it looked as though a teary-eyed Naruto might punch Rayleigh again. Instead, he scrubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand and lurched away from the man who he'd barely known and been tasked to find...

...now acting like nothing had happened at all.

"I-I'm not crying because I'm happy to see you, b-baka yarou!" He snifled to himself. "I've...just got something in my eye, damnit!" Without further ado, he turned toward the wall, trying to hide the fact that he was red-eyed...and failing miserably. Gods! After going through all the trouble of purposely being caught and put up for sale! Unable to properly convery his emtions, he turned back toward Rayleigh and the giant, the latter having already wedged one hand int the impermeable metal. Without further ado, he began to pull, straining against the resistant iron.

It was in that very instant that the wall inexplicably imploded.

"Well then," Rayleigh spared the boy a glance as light splayed through the opening the massive man had created. "Care to take a walk with me, boy?" Naruto blinked, frowned and blinked again. Was the old man getting senile in his old age? They were practically in the middle of a warzone! But Rayleight would have none of his protests; because he was already shooing Naruto forward and into the gap their comrade had created.

_"Where in the hell are you taking me?"_

Rayleigh continued to usher his progeny onward.

"There's someone I'd like you to meet."

_**A/N: Mwahaha! Good news! I'm going to live! It IS NOT CANCER! YES! HAHAHA! BOO-YAH! This fic is the by product of my joy, so you'll have to excuse my massproducing of One piece at the moment, as I plan to update them all (With My Pride is a Hurricane being the next on the list) as of today! Sorry, I'm just so happy to know that it isn't cancer! HAHA!**_

_**A/N (Continued): Yes, Naruto is the son of Rayleigh and Shakky! And, in case you guys and gals haven't guessed, he's most likely going with the Strawhats! I always thought it odd that they didn't take SOMEBODY with them to Sabaody Archipeligo, don't you agree? And with his Devil Fruit power he's gonna have one HOT (excuse the pun) harem! As for how he will fare against Kizaru and...gulp...Kizaru, well, that remains to be seen. Cripes, but those two are fucking scaaaaaaary strong!**_

**And here, for the very first time, I'll be treating you kiddies to a sneak preview of the next chapter!**

"Oh, I never gave you my name, did I?" He paused, then laughed aloud. "It's Naruto." He extended his hand to her. "Uzumaki D. Naruto! Pleased to meet you!" Slowly, warily, she took his hand and allowed herself to be assisted in standing. The silence seemed to stretch on into eternity, the human peering deeply into the eyes of the mermaid. She flushed for a moment, then turned her gaze away as he touched a finger to the device.

"C-Camie." The mermaid replied meekly. "W-Wait, what're you-

"Let's get this collar off you." With a viscious twist of his wrist and ankle, the incessant chiming of the countdown went eerily silent. And with good reason, she realized. Now that the man had removed his glove, now that he had physically laid a hand upon the instrument of her demise, she had gained her freedom. In his hand, the explosive collar reduced itself to a pile of molten slag within a clenched fist.

"Be at ease." He reassured in the wake of her terrified expression. "I've eaten the Gōka Gōka no mi: Model Kagatsuchi."

_"Nani?"_

The silence was deafening.

"I'm a **_Hellfire_** man."

_**A/N: Hope you liked the preview!**_


	2. Ambition

_A/N: I hope you liked the hints I dropped in this chapter! Yes, the hints and the groundwork are being laid for Naruto to potentially follow Luffy on his journey! WOOT! The question remains however, will he survive the coming battle and realize his dream? Or will the pains of his past swallow him whole? Read on to find out, and, don't forget to review! I really appreciate all your kind and heartfelt words and know this: I AM GETTING BETTER BY THE DAY! My health is beginning to improve! I plan to update all my works, as I plan to prove with this chappy! _

**Ambition**

"What's this?" Rayleigh blinked. "Look's like everybody's watching us."

"No, really?" Naruto sweadropped as he brushed some dust of his vest. "Never would have guessed." For the first time, he regretted wearing such an exorbiant outfit. Not only had it warranted uneccessary_-but desirable-_attention, the gaudy lappels of his jacket were beginning to harden thanks to the crusted blood he'd obtained during his escape. A small frown adjourned his features as he wriggled out of the sleeves, the flimsy blue jacket choosing instead to slump over his shoulders immediately thereafter.

Coupled with his gaudy trousers and ridiculously platinum blond hair, it made for a rather humorous scene. An old man, a boy, and a giant, subsuquently making their grand appearance on stage, in full view of the guards and the jailers. Rayleight, of course, was completely relaxed, thanks to that sack of money they'd stolen backstage. _Damn but the old coot would always be happy so long as he had money to gamble with, Naruto mused._

Then he found a familair face amongst the rookies.

"Isn't that...?"

"If it isn't Hacchi!" Rayleigh exclaimed suddenly! "It's been awhile, what're you doing in this place?" Immediately thereafter, his smile withered; drying up into a concerned but all the same compassionate frown. Naruto took note of it as well. A strange reindeer-like creature was frantically wrapping the fishman in gauze; because, he was wounded. In the brief span of inattention that it took to notice this, Rayleigh finally seemed to come around to the here and now.

"Hacchi...

"How did you get those wounds?" He paused. "No, no, you don't have to speak." Slowly stroking his beard, his gaze took in the ruined Auction House. It lingered upon Camie, glanced over the inert Tenryubito, and finally, settled upon the pirates who appeared to still be in the midst of a conflict with the guards. Everyone had fallen silent and Naruto knew as well as his father that the impasse created by their arrival would not last much longer.

_"So that's what happened."_ Silvers Rayleight abruptly smacked one fist into an empty palm. "Alright then, I understand the situation." Suddenly, and without warning his gaze locked upon the guards. "Geez, you sure had a hard time, Hacchi." Now it was the boy with the strawhat who found himself bearing the brunt of the Dark King's gaze. "So you were the guys who helped him?"

Wuh-oh.

_"Well then..._

Naruto _felt_ the willpower before any semblance of it manifested. Even then at point blank range, he almost stumbled from the force of his father's own haki. Grimacing against the powerful surge, the room swam before his eyes for a moment; then he drove the haze from his vision. The guards and jailers were not nearly as strong-willed; neither did they have the necessary fortitude to stand up to such a massive burst of ambition.

It emerged as a small ripple; spreading across the stands in an overflowing wave that engulfed everyone and everything that existed before Rayleigh's gaze.

"That strawhat certainly suits a fearless man such as yourself." Rayleigh grinned once again at the blue-vested boy with the hat of straw. "We've been waiting to meet you for quite some time, Monkey D. Luffy." Naruto, however, wasn't listening. A heated flash of fury flickered through his mind as he recalled a painful image; of the celestial dragons that had irrevocably savaged his youth in the years past.

A low hiss escaped his lips.

_"Damn Tenryubito."_ Naruto growled, his attention locking upon the inert form of Saint Shaulia. "Hey pops, they're already out cold. It would be a mercy to kill them right now, ya know?" he asked, his thumb inching forward slightly to rest on the guard of his sword. With an almost unnoticed movement, he pushed the digit forward and unlocked his blade from its sheath with a practiced movement.

Rayleight frowned.

"Son...

"Actually, you can forget that." He announced brusquely. "I've made up my mind." Abruptly, the tapered tip of the wakizashi stabbed outward. Precisely one second after that and the bubble of Saint Shaulia's personal oxygen helmet burst wide open. "I'm going to kill them." His words were soft; slow, deadly. "All of them. Each and every one of the so-called descendants of those kings deserve to die, starting with-

_**"No!"**_

Naruto flinched as sharp cry pierced the silence.

"Don't!" They repeated!

_Caimie's_ head broke the surface of her tank and she breathed shallowly the feeling of raw terror giving way to an unsettling numbness. Voices drifted in her ear causing her to twitch and try to focus on what was happening to her. The voices sounded calm and so very pleasant. Somehow, she found herself breathless; the word hitching in her throat as she beheld the one who gawped at her.

"D-Don't kill anyone, mister." She whispered softly. "Please, not for my sake."

_"You?"_ Naruto guffawed at the mermaid. He _vaguely_ recalled her, the mermaid who had been brought in and subsuquently "purchased" by Saint Charloss. Well, given that her owner-to-be was currently placed in a coma, did she really have any reason to speak on their behalf. Just the thought of it made him want to stab someone_-preferentially the Celestial Dragons-_but for now, the sheer shock of her words restrained him.

"C-Caimie...Pappug stammered, absolutely terrified by the scene unfolding before them. For a split second, it seemed that Naruto just might follow through with his threat. It stretched on for what felt like forever, as he blade neared the pale and pristine throat of Saint Shaulia. Muscles bulged and swelled in his neck; tightening the cords of his arms as he struggled to restrain himself from further action.

_"Mister?"_ For some reason, Naruto found this to be incredibly funny. He was far too young to be called an old man! He was only eighteen for crissakes! Well there was another way to resolve this situation without bloodshed, after all. Still chuckling, he jammed the wakizashi back into its sheathe. Fine. He'd let those pompous fools live. However, the flames of defiance still roared high in his eyes as he turned toward Caime.

"Fine." He all but spit. "However, its not "mister". I have a name, you know."

Freeing her was the least he could do, or so he told himself as he approached.

"Oh, I never gave you my name, did I?" He paused, then laughed aloud. "It's Naruto." He extended his hand to her. "Uzumaki D. Naruto! Pleased to meet you!" Slowly, warily, she took his hand and allowed it to be held. The silence seemed to stretch on into eternity, the human peering deeply, intently into the eyes of the mermaid. She flushed for a moment, then turned her gaze away when he smiled; because he'd just touched a finger to the device.

"C-Camie." The mermaid replied meekly, her eyes flying wide seconds later as she remembered the consequences of having the collar removed. "W-Wait, what're you-

Too late, he laid hands upon it.

_**"!"**_

"Let's get this collar off you." With a viscious twist of his wrist and ankle, the incessant chiming of the countdown went eerily silent. And with good reason, she realized. Now that the man had removed his glove, now that he had physically laid a hand upon the instrument of her demise, she had gained her freedom. In his hand, the explosive collar had b een reduced to a pile of molten slag within a clenched fist.

"Be at ease." He reassured in the wake of her terrified expression. "I've eaten the Gōka Gōka no mi: Model Kagatsuchi."

_"Nani?"_

The silence was deafening.

"I'm a _Hellfire_ man." Naruto explained further with a snap of his fingers. "Lookie here." Ignited within his palm was a small globule of solidified flame, the very reason that the collar had melted in the first place. Even as she gawped at it, the light vanished, leaving her cloaked saviour to smile pleasantly back at her. Camie blinked, staring at Naruto's hand as if it were the strangest thing in the world.

"Sugoi!" Naruto heard someone shout-it sounded a great deal like Monkey D. Luffy-only for that someone to be humorously struck across the head.

"Shut up, Luffy!" An as-of-yet unamed girl with orange hair hissed sharply! This isn't the time to be impressed!" Naruto took notice of her for only a moment before returning his attention to Caimie.

"Ahaha...you're supposed to shake." Naruto ammended, peering at her for the first time. "Erm...if you want to, that is. I'm sorry if I frightened you."

She was fair-haired, larged eyed, and with a delicate point to her chin. Not full figured but certainly not petite either. As far as most women went she was _beautiful_, but then again, Naruto's definition of beauty still had a ways to go, all things considered. Regardless of the fact, he found his mouth working on the words that defied him; remaining rooted in his mouth. He forced the smile back into place and awaited her eventual reply so he could return home...

...and hopefully banish the vision of this gorgeous beauty from his head.

Simultaneously, it occurred to Camie that she'd barely spoken two words to the boy. Furthermore, Naruto was looking at her with a look of such intense concentration that she just couldn't bear to meet his gaze; let alone refuse whatever he might say, no matter how ludicrous it might be. She glanced about, but found naught; Hacchi and the others were just as dumbstruck, if not moreso, and the anxiety of it all was finally catching up with her. She did her best to paint her face with clarity and failed utterly; because she frantically seized his wrist and pulled him into a furious embrace.

_"Arigatou!"_

Sheathe and all the wakizashi fell from his hand, clattering uselessly to the floor with an audible plop. It skittered across the stone and gravel and dirt, out of reach. Abashed, he felt arms fling themselves around his neck, and then there was only the crunch of broken debris beneath his feet as he struggled; both to keep himself from falling, and her from sloshing out of the tank, lest she herself fall out and become traumatized further.

He couldn't make himself move, couldn't think; he simply felt.

The smooth skin of her cheek brushed against his scruffy, whiskered one. Her hair filled his nostrils with the clean scent of delight and disbelief. She hugged him fiercely, the notes of strong hard arms joining with supple firm stomach and back joining with the pure feminine softness of her chest pressed against his making a chord of perfect acceptance.

"Thank you." She whispered. _"Thank you so much!"_

After a while he realized that she was shaking inside his oversized cloak, and she failed to stifle a sob. He frowned over her shoulder, trying to decide if it was kinder to leave her to her thoughts for a time, distract her with meaningless conversation, or draw her out and let her tell her story. Just five minutes ago, he hadn't known she even existed Now he found himself in the awkward position of comforting a beautiful mermaid, and quite frankly, such a task was terrifying.

Naruto fumed at himself and everyone in the room.

She'd seen more murder and cruelty in a few hours than most people do in a lifetime. And he'd certainly contributed to it with his furious skirmish on the stand. All she knew of him was that he'd stolen her out of a slaver camp, savagely cutting down anyone in his path. Regardless of the reasons he gave for his actions, she had to wonder whether his motives were truly honorable or not. And he was covered in blood for crissakes!

"Oh," she whined, burying her face into his chest as she finally fell apart, her eyes bursting with hot tears_. _"I know I'm safe now, but still, I just...I just can't...stop_...crying!"_

Not knowing what else to do, he squeezed her and said,

"It's over now, Caimie-san."

She nodded but did not answer. She held him tighter. Such strength! He felt a rib begin to crack under the strain of her renewed vice; the likes of which was almost enough to drive the oxygen from his lungs and leave him altogether breathless. She fisted her hands into the lappels of his jacket; her tears doing more damage than any violence she could possibly commit. Abashed by her actions and the butterflies boiling in his stomach, Naruto resigned himself to patience; he would wait as long as it was neccessary.

"You're safe." He supplied weakly, doing his best to untangle himself from the snifling vixen and failing miserably. "Remember that." Incredibly, he found that he'd laid hands on her shoulders_-when had he done that exactly-_and he forced himself to smile. He didn't want to smile; he'd much rather be butchering the three Celestial Dragons that had dared to make her cry in the first place, but smile he did and his smile remained a beacon of compassion in the middle of such abject malice.

Caimie blushed.

"Naruto-chin...

"Well, as touching as this scene is, shouldn't we be getting the hell out of here?" Naruto turned to see a strange looking man with an equally strange looking ducktail emerging from backstage, swinging a ring of keys around one finger. Another one of the strawhats, perhaps? And why the hell didn't he have any pants? Dismissing that matter for the moment, he forced himself to straighten; bending at the knees.

"Well, you're right about that." Rayleigh nodded. "I'm afraid I won't be doing that again so you'll have to create an opening when we get outside." Naruto grimaced; because it meant that, once again, it was being left to him to find a way out of a situation that involved mass notoriety. Great! Lovely! Why couldn't Rayleigh ever let things lie and just settle himself down like any normal parent?

"And who the hell are _you_ guys?" the strange looking man demanded loudly. "What in the hell is going on here?"

"I suppose you could call _me_ an ally." Naruto answered stiffly, exchanging a terse glance with Rayleigh. "For the moment. That being said, we need to leave." Naruto forced himself to tear his gaze away from the blushing maiden for a moment, suddenly aware that the auction house was utterly deserted, save for the pirates and the slaves, the latter having been spared the burst of haki and as a result, reatained their concsiousness.

"Caimie-san, can you...walk?" He let the question die on his lips when the obvious occurred to him. Well of course she couldn't walk! She was a mermaid! Mentally smacking himself for such an obscure idea, the blond sheepishly scrubbed at the back of his head in apology. Rayleigh only grinned of course; amused by t

"I...I can't walk." She confessed, her glance shieing nervously to her tail. "Sorry...

"Then _I'll_ carry you." Naruto answered swiftly, elbowing his way past Rayleigh and Franky. "Up we go!"

_"Eep!"_

Caimie squeaked, even weaker as he reluctantly scooped her up. She slumped against him, flushing as he placed a hand behind her tail in an effort to steady himself. Kami she was light! Hoisting her up against his back, Naruto locked both arms beneath her waist; momentarily causing her to flush and convulse, stiffening beneath the vice that held her fast.

_"A-Ah!"_

"Hold tight." He murmured to her, grimacing when Caimie quietly complied. He pushed himself upright; bending and straightening at the knees. A great and terrible clamoring could already be heard outside as they made all due haste. Strangely enough he could feel the blonde's eyes on him burning like a branded iron in the back of his head. What on earth was his problem, anyway?

Silently, he resolved to do all he could for his erstwhile passenger, but before that, there was the matter of escape. A Marine Admiral could arrive at any given moment, and he had absolutely no desire to be present at the time of his arrival. He began to ascend the steps, ignoring Rayleigh when the old man paused to speak with Luffy; because why should he care about some upstart rookie when a woman's safety was at stake?

_Precisely._

He recognized a few faces amongst them, though, through their wanted posters only. That orange-haired woman was none other than the "Cat-Burglar" Nami. That green-haired marimo man with three swords had to be "Pirate-Hunter Zoro. Yikes, what a scary looking guy. The rest were rather easy to recognize as well. "Cotton Candy" Chopper, who was apparently the doctor of the crew, someone called Usopp, who, Naruto suspected to be this "Sogeking" and that musclebound man must've been "Cyborg" Franky.

It was only when he came to the last two members of the group that Naruto was given pause. What the hell? A skeleton? There wasn't a wanted poster for this one. Maybe it was some manner of decoration or sorts? Yes, yes, that had to be the case. Th-There couldn't possibly be such a thing as a living...breathing...couldn't...possibly...be...a...a...

"Hello there!" Brook chose that very moment to tip his hat. "Pleased to meet you!"

"Gah!" Naruto yelped aloud! "_G-Gh-Ghooooost!"_

"AH!" Brooke wailed! "A ghost! Where? Where is it!"

"Its you!" Naruto shouted!

"Ah!" Brook cried. "So I'm the ghost? Yokatta! You nearly scared me to death! Although...I AM ALREADY DEAD! Yohohoho!" Naruto didn't know whether to laugh or cry at that one. He absolutely hate hate _hated_ ghosts, but did a living skeleton qualify as one? Ghosts weren't supposed to be this funny. How could a skeleton move, talk, AND have an afro that large?

"Just what the hell are these guys?" Naruto mumbled to himself as he stepped around the cackling skeleton. First a talking reindeer, a speedo wearing cyborg, and now a dead bunch of bones just strutting around the halls? Just what in the hell was this crew?

"That was Brooke-chin!" Caimie beamed. "Brooke-chin's is Luffy-chin's musician!"

"Musician?" Naruto blinked, aghast. "He just bones!

"Hai!" Brook laughed! "Indeed! I am "Dead Bones" Brooke, after all! Yohohoho"

"Urusei!" Naruto retorted, shifting so that he might better secure his grip on Caimie. "I wasn't talking to you!"

"Oi, punk!" Now his attention was dranw to one "Black Leg" Sani, who looked nothing at all like his wanted poster. "You'd better not drop Camie-chwan or it'll be your head!"

_"Punk?"_ No matter how much he might want to, Naruto just couldn't let that comment slide. By the time the aformentioned insult reached his ears, he'd already slowed. Now, he frowned at the infamous cook, careful to keep Caimie on his back and his hands beneath her. "You're Sanji, right?" Sparks sprayed between their eyes as they stared one another down.

"You wanna go, asshole?" Naruto snarled.

"Sanji-chin," Caimie began, oly to have herself cut off by said cook. "There's no need to-

"Sure thing. Just Put Caimie-chwan down first, bastard." Sanji took a puff of his cigar, deliberately exhaling smoke into the blonde's face. "Then I'll kick your ass with one foot tied behind my back!" He would have said more, but he realized too late that he was talking to empty air. Naruto had already moved on, and was, much to the the cook's dismay, conversing with Nico Robin.

"Is he always like this?" Naruto asked without even glancing at Sanji. "Threatening of a complete and total stranger, I mean." Somewhere in the background, Franky had just tossed the slaves the keys to their shackles, and they were currently in the proccess of unshackling themselves. Rayleigh seemed to have finished his conversation with Luffy as well; he was shouldering Hacchin by the time Naruto thought to spare the old man a percursory glance.

"GWAH!" Sanji facefaulted. "Robin-chwan! How could you betray me like this!"

"Cook-san has his moments," She admitted, sparing a glance for Rayleight at that very moment. "You on the other hand, seem to be quite the competitor in this game." For a moment Naruto flushed under the weight of her words; his cheeks flaring scarlet as Caimie wondered what at what it was that Robin seemed to be suggesting. Well, whatever it was, it left Naruto-chin sputtering and stammering, so it must've been somehting important, she mused.

"C-C'mon, I'm just a ship coater. I mean, I'm not even a pirate...

"So that's Rayleigh's kid, huh?" Trafalgar Law hadn't moved from where he sat since the brawl with the Tenryubito began. Now he arched an eyebrow toward the nonplussed blond, but other than that eerie smile, he did little to show his concern for the situation. "He's a real spitfire, that one." Naruto neared the exit with Caimie in firm in his arms, and stomped toward the door.

Eustass Kid only chuckled.

"Looks like a legend showed up." He scoffed at the blushin lad. "Jeez, look at that one! If he's the son of the "Dark King" then this kid's probably nothing to sneeze at, either."

"COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!" A voice boomed from outside, amplified by a loudspeaker. "Mugiwara no Luffy! We demand that you release the Tenryubito at once! An admiral will soon be here! We will not be held responsible for any losses you might suffer through lack of cooperation!" Eustass cracked a shit-eating grin at that moment, his hands freeing themselves from the heavy sleeves of his fur-coat.

"Seems we're surrounded, then."

"Hold tight." Naruto repeated, shrugging his shoulders at the very same instant. "I'm heading straight for Grove Thirteen, old man! You'd better come back home after all this, you hear me?" Rayleight laughed boisterously at the blond, even as he straightened and prepared to make a dash for it. Would he stay and fight? Would this be the stage that ultimately introduced him to the eyes of the world and his enemies?

Only time would tell.

"Yosh!" Luffy smacked one palm against a fist. "Don't think for a second that I'm letting you three hog all of the fun!"

**A/N: Next time: Tender Feelings and the beginnings of a brawl! Relationships are probed and brawl begins! Naruto Vs. Kizaru, Kuma...and KUMA? The Pacifista's emerge!**


	3. Conflagration

**_A/N: Alright, fight time! This is what you've all been waiting for, ladies and gents! A regular battle royale! I won't reveal the outcome-or Naruto's fate for that matter-but what I CAN divulge, is that you are most certainly going to enjoy this chapter! That being said, review! I'll keep typing until my eyeballs fall out! But since I am a skeleton...I HAVE NO EYEBALLS! YOHOHOHO! SKULL JOKE!_**

**_Conflagration_**

"No!" Caimie shook her head rapidly. "Naruto-chin! Why do you have to go out there, too?"

He looked at her slowly, softly. Remorsefully. His eyes held her stolidly. He didn't have to say anything else. She knew why he was breaking his promise to her. He still wanted revenge. He still wanted to hurt the ones who wanted to take her away. One of her tears finally fell. She turned away quickly, but he saw it. He reached out a hand, catching it even as it fell; a wisp of steam rose from one finger as he brushed it across her cheek.

_'What the hell is wrong with me?'_

He didn't respond for a while, choosing to look out at the exit instead.

"It's...something I have to do." He relented at last. How could he possibly tell her of the rage burning up inside of him? She wouldn't understand. None of them would. Though his heart might flutter in her prescence, he wasn't about to reveal the pangs of his past to someone he'd only just met. He doubted even Rayleigh knew about it_-though surely he must know something-_and his mother was really the only one who knew how scarred he'd become over the last six years.

_No. _

The blood boiled in his veins, demanding justice, demanding retribution; seeking compensation for all that he been through. Really, he should have known better. Then again, how could he expect his mother's request to "go find your father" would spiral out of control like this? No, he couldn't wait. For every second he abstained, that admiral drew ever neary to the archipeligo.

He wasn't going to have a chance to do this again, not in this lifetime.

"But you don't understand-

"I understand," Naruto began slowly, "That I can't carry you while I'm fighting." Sapphire smoldered darkly, becoming almost scarlet in color as he peered down at the young maiden. "But I want you to understand," He heaved a deep breath and bound one hand into a fist, "That I'll be coming right back." He'd been stepping over rubble and debris all the while she realized, and now he was dangerously close to her.

"B-But...

"I'm asking you to trust me." He repeated softly, but there was an edge, a soft one, of danger to his tone. "Can you do that for me, Caimie-chan?" He awaited her inevitable denial, the shattering of all the hopes he'd started to build by trusting someone to trust in hime again. It was a vain, delusional hope, he knew this, but hey, he could dream, right? Even a false dream was a dream, in a sense. Was it really so wrong to-

"Hai."

"Excuse me?" He paused, thunderstruck.

"Hai." Her reply was suprisingly forthcoming. He'd expected her to hesitate, to fuss and fluster over his decision for a few minutes longer. He'd expected that it would dissolve into an arguement; that he would stomp off, massacre the troops, and then do something reckless thereafter. He hadn't expected the absolute trust that shone in those twin pools of doe brown that were her eyes.

_"I trust you."_ Her gaze spoke volumes, although Caimie herself remained utterly silent as she stared upward at him. _"I trust you completely and entirely and utterly."_

It was almost _painful_ to look at.

"I'll be right back." He all but growled, his mind already elsewhere. He was not speaking to her, she realized, but to everyone else in the room. A simple, but deadly threat. If she so much has a hair out of place, I'll break your necks. She saw this in his expression, though he uttered not a word. She reached for his arnm but he had already stepped away and up the steps, his arms focused upon holding her as he limped toward the one that he would temporarily entrust with her care.

"Oi, underwear guy!" Naruto shouted at Franky. "Hold onto Caimie-chan for me!" Before either could protest, Naruto simply dropped the mermaid into the cyborg's arms, and then he too, was striding for the exit after Luffy. Waves of heat radiated outward from his shoulders, creating small fissures in the ground, momentarily causing the other boy to frown and dab at his brow.

_Damn but it was so hot all of a sudden!_

"Oi," He began rudely. "Who're you?"

"Naruto." The blond answered crisply. "Uzumaki Naruto." He spared Luffy a glance. This kid was worth three hundred million? He was the most unassuming kid he'd ever met! Then again, to punch out a Celestial dragon...now that took balls. Balls on top of your balls. Balls of steel, actually. If this rookie really was worth that much berri, then he was probably a fierce and ruthless killer, both in and out of combat.

He'd have to keep his guard up around this one.

_'Yeah, right.' _Somehow, Naruto just couldn't wrap his brain around it. There must've been a mistake on the wanted poster, or_ something. _Nobody from the East Blue had that much fighting power. Luffy looked like someone...well, like someone who'd be your best friend, not the man who'd taken down a shichibukai_-two according to Shakky-_attacked Enies Lobby, declared war on the World Government, and kami knew what else!

"Are you really worth three hundred million?" Naruto founding himself asking.

Luffy thumbed at his chin for a moment.

"Sure am!" He paused, and seemed to consider the question then.

"Say, do you wanna-

"I'll have to decline." Brusque as ever, Naruto cut him off curtly. "But thanks for the offer."

"Hey!" Luffy protested! "I haven't even said anything yet! How did you know what I was gonna say?"

Naruto ignored the inquiry. Instead, he flung back his hood, exposing his face to the sunlight and the world once more. Resolutely, he stalked after Eustass and Trafalgar, making no excuse toward his obvious haste. Luffy scowled for a moment before he too, hastened toward the exit. How rude! How did that guy know what he was going to say, anyway? Was he telepathic or something?

"No," Naruto answered from somewhere ahead of him. "You're just ridiculously easy to read, that's all."

Luffy slowed for a moment, blinking owlishly. That settled it! This guy had eaten a logia type fruit, just like Ace! Granted, he retained an absolute faith that his big brother was almost certainly stronger than this guy_-how foolish of him to doubt his brother-_but he retained an utter fascination for Naruto's abilities regardless. It hurt his head to think to such a degree, but of one thing, Monkey D. Luffy was absolutely certain.

He was _so_ gonna make this guy his nakama.

**_0o0o0_**

Outside the acution houe, the firing squad inexplicably stiffened.

Three...no, _four_ shadows were coming out. _Outside._ And they brought with them a racket straight out of hell. They were arguing, bickering, quarreling amongst themselves, even as they emerged from the relative safety of the Human Auction house and into broad daylight. In full view of the cannons, these pirates made absolutely no distinction between friend and foe. Nay, for three of them were far too busy bickering, and the fourth, well, the fourth was trying_-unsuccessfully-_to quell his companions.

This, was, roughly, what the quartet sounded like:

"Like I said, I won't let you guys hog all the fun!"

"Shut up...

"I said I'll do it myself!"

"Stop bickering already!"

"Really?"

"Shut up! Just shut up, you three!"

"You're so noisy...

"What did you say!"

"Like I said, leave this to me!"

"No! I'll do it!"

"Don't order me around."

"You don't get it, do you?"

"You're the one who doesn't get it!"

"All right," Being the first one to step into full view, Monkey D. Luffy cracked his knuckles. "You guys, stand back." Naturally, this elicited a less than favorable response from those standing nearby. It was one of immediate hostility from two of its intended recipients. The third slapped a hand to his forehead in sheer exasperation. Truly, how was it possible for one man to be so incredibly dense?

"Hey, _are you listening to me?"_ Eustass glowered. "I said that _you_ should stay away!"

"Try to give me one more order," Trafalgar Law growled, "And I'll take yout out first, Eustass!"

Naruto simply sweatdropped.

_'Oi, oi, am I actually considering working together with these three..._

"Take aim!" The harsh clacking of machinery drew his attention back to the defensive perimeter the marines had formed. "Three of them are captains! They each have bounties well over one hundred million!" Then they paused, recognizing that there was a fourth amongst them, one whose face held no wanted poster. As such, it was not so easily recognizeable.

"And that other one...

"Yo." Naruto swiftly raised a hand in greeting, entertaining the thin hope that they could some emerge from the ensuing conflagration unscathed. " Y'see, I'm...not with them, so if you'd just let me go...

"He must be their accomplice!" The officer in charge came to the worst possible conclusion, at the worst possible time. Naruto felt the life drain from his features, leaching out with everything else. In its place, there was only a strange, eerie calm. His visage projected one of horror, of dismay, terror, even. It was all a ruse. Deep down, he'd known that the moment he set foot outside, he would inadvertantly be drawn into this battle. It was, after all, why he had entrusted Caimie to Franky. From the very beginning, there had been no way to avoid the coming fight.

Now, it was simply a matter of finding the biggest possible opening and exploiting it to the fullest.

To the fullest possible advantage.

"OI!" Naruto waved his hands rapidly, feigning fear. "Don't shoot! I'm not a pirate!"

_**"FIRE!"**_

"Gah!" He yelped, eyes widening in pseudo-terror as the bullets hurtled toward them! "Don't shoot! I'll die!" He watched the bullets hurtle towards him, and had time for one final thought before the merciless killer inside him kicked itself into a furious, bloodthirsty frenzy of righteous fury. He'd been wise to leave Caimie behind, after all. What he was, what he was about to become, he didn't want her to witnesss; especially in her fragile state. With that final thought, he ceded sanity and gave into the muderous desires he'd been harboring for so very long.

Fire came forth from his fingertips.

_...not!"_

Tongues of flame scream into existence and lashed out of nowhere, taking the marines by surprise. They did not show mercy, nor did they discriminate. Some burst into flame upon contact, others simply evaporated. And others, still others, caught within those terrible tethers of fire and brimstone twisting around the cannons; crushing them. Unable to eject their payload, sevel of the mortars detonated almost immedately, killing dozens upon dozens on the spot.

It wasn't enough.

"Shoot!" The marine captain bellowed, not even pausing to display the smallest iota of respect for his fallen men. "Shoot him before he takes out the rest of our cannons!" The ground ruptured beneath his feet in that instant, and vomitted tongues of blue and white flame. Scalding to the touch, they curled around his throat, searing themselves deep into his flesh with the mind-numbing intensity of the abyess.

And the cannons_-what remained of them-_deployed their payload.

"Oh, sh-

Naruto managed half-of-a-turn before a stray cannonball took off half of his face.

-amnit!" he lisped with the broken half of his ravaged visage. "That huwt!"

His visage abruptly dissolved, spreading outward into a series of glowing embers. Without warning, without hesitation, the bullets pierced his forehead. Like their compatriots, their efforts proved to be futile. One by one, his wounds closed; the lead projectiles passing harmlessly through his flesh. Unfazed by the sudden assault he took the full brunt of the barrage, despite the multiple holes and breaches that each mortar punched through his chest, and smiled.

Then all his wounds mmediately seized upon themselves and became closed.

"Gentlemen." Naruto tsked softly, deadly in the sudden silence. "I be placed in a bewilderment." Without warning, without cause, his features roughened, his voice descending to a low baritone; an almost otherwordly hue as he eyed a slew of potential victims. "Is this any way to treat your esteemed guests?" He lifted a finger and brushed the bangs aside from his eyes, chuckling all the while.

"Allow me to show you true hospitality."

Bending to one knee, he touched a hand to the ground. Abruptly the whips retracted from the major's throat, instead seeking out the men who had_-rather foolishly-_chosen to come to the aid of their superior. It would cost them their lives. With a strangled gasp, the major sank to the ground. And the whisp sought out new prey. The first to fall were those foolish few within arms reach; the whips coiled around their throats in turn and each gave a mighty heave.

Ten men slumped to the floor, their necks broken. The rest stepped away, some screaming, others shooting, and still others slashing at the imperturpable tethers with a blade club, mace, any possible weapon they could hope to procure. But the flames, like their master, were inexhaustible. One moment they were solid enough to securely coil about a man's throat, the next, they were intangible as the air itself, and their victims reduced to little more than charred corpses in the grip of their tormentors.

Despite himself, Luffy gawped.

"Sugoi!"

Eustass arched an eyebrow.

"This kid...

...isn't half bad." Law finished for him.

Naruto still hadn't stopped smiling.

"Something's wrong!" Too late, the Marines recognized the shit-eating grin the blond had adopted during the barrage. Too late, everyone, Luffy, Law, Eustass, and the marine vanguard, recognized this mysterious blond for what he was. Some more than others. Naruto grinned; because sapphire had just smoldered away into scarlet. He grinned and held a hand high, offering it to the skies as if he might somehow grasp the many branches of the mangroves that remained just out of reach.

_**"Amateratsu."**_ He called softly.

A snarl tore through the atmosphere.

It was primal agony, torn from that individual bit of flame that hissed and spat within his palm. It was the most horrible thing you would ever hear, and they all recognized it for what it was: the sound of pure and absolute scorn. And then it escalated up the scale to a war cry of undiluted fury. Whatever it was left the marines disoriented, confused, unable to stand. And that was before they realized it was not the sound of screams; but of laughter.

Uzumaki Naruto was laughing.

He held his hand aloft, for all the world to see, grinning all the while. An hellish light drifted across the grove, the ensuing thunderclap that heralded its arrival serving to both blind and stun the enemy force that surrounded them. By the time their sights had cleared, Naruto held a sphere in his right hand. The sphere within his hand abruptly began to contract; spiraling inward, reducing itself to a speck of infinitismal proportions.

"Hang on!" One of the marines shouted! "He's up to something!"

Naruto clucked softly to himself.

_'You have no idea.'_

Finally, when its overall mass was no larger than that of a marble, his fingers closed around it, that tiny conflagration of pure brilliance. The effect was nearly instantaneous. Black whisps spread outward from his hand and curled around their master, giving birth to blackness. A curtain of darkness that seemed to stretch on for all eternity. Roiling over his body, it eventually reached his eyes. Blood began to dribble from the left, whilst the right went firmly shut.

_"Nanda?"_ Luffy blinked, momentarily baffled by the shimmering flames surrounding the blond. "What're you-

Naruto chuckled softly, but he did not turn.

**_"Shut up, Luffy."_**

He turned his gaze toward the marines and snapped his fingers.

"Now..._ignite!"_

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then a howl ripped through the first grove.

All eyes turned toward the sound.

It was primal agony, torn from that individual bit of spark that was a human soul. It was the most horrible thing you would ever hear, and they all recognized it for what it was: the sound of a soul dying. And then it escalated up the scale to a war cry of undiluted fury. Just as before, the sound left the marines shell-shocked, unable to recover and reclaim their bearings. And that was before the marines finally noticed the burning man standing in their midst.

"S-Stop it!" He begged! "Stop! It burns! MAKE IT STOP!"

Writhing in pain amongst his fellows, a man had inexplicably caught fire. He screamed, threw himself upon the ground, stopped, dropped, and rolled, but to no avail. Unlike the convential flames of natural origin, these flames were not so easily extinguished. Black cords of hellish flame wound their around his neck, chest, eventually reaching his face; inadvertantly spreading and consuming the rest of his body.

"Stop...please...he rasped, his voice reduced to little more than a whisper. "Please...stop...it...I have...a...family...

A vein pulsed in his neck and Naruto's vicious vice grew tighter still.

"You should've thought about _that_ before you endorsed slavery."Before anyone else could react, Naruto cut him off with a snap of the fingers and fired again. The flames enveloped the rest of his head and the entirety of his upper body. To all who watched, it seemed that this time it was working even faster, as if the first blast had been a practice shot to get the juices flowing.

"Now, _burn_ for your crimes!"

The man wasn't able to do so much as scream because his vocal cords were gone. Seconds later his torso fell in on itself as his arms tumbled to either side. The blaze had already worked its way into them and when they struck the ground, they collapsed into piles of dust. The remaining part of the marine's body that had been upright now fell over onto the spreading pool of ruin that was already on the floor.

"Well then," Naruto said, to no one in particular. His voice was, astoundingly, icy calm, as if he were assesing a change in the weather. That was the level of professionalism at which he was dealing. Whatever turmoil was going on inside him, for Naruto it was first things first: slaughter the enemy and ask questions later. "I suppose I should dispose of the rest of you now, hmm?"

_"Fuck."_ Eustass spat. "The kid's a _Logia."_

For some reason or another, Naruto suddenly found that statment to be most amusing.

"You are correct, sir!" he cackled, bringing his deadly flames to bear on the enemy once more.

Without hesitation, Naruto turned and aimed his deadly gaze at the next marine. There was no way he could miss. With vast calm, he closed his left eye, and opened his right. Crimson leaked from the orifice, pooling down his cheek in an eerie tide that promised death to all who found themselves within his gaze. Unfortunately, it would seem that the entire platoon was meant to share the same fate as that of their fellow man, their eyes tripling as they beheld the curtain of black doom spreading toward them.

_"No! No! Men, watch out!"_ The major screamed.

Their commanding officer's cry jolted the men from their shock, and they started to move, to try to dodge to one side, but there was no way, no time to avoid it. Naruto gave them no time to compensate, his eye opening and closing in an instant. There could be no hope of salvation for them now. Their time had come, now it was simply a matter of who suffered and who perished, or so he told himself as the black gaze of death converged upon his helpless foes.

Naruto simply tracked with their motion, took aim, and fired.

_"Oi!"_

A gigantic metal apparatus thrust itself between the impending sheet of flame and doom. Naruto frowned, as it burst into flame and fell apart, revealing an unharmed human hand lurking beneath the surface. He followed it back to its owner, one Eustass Kid, the latter having interrupted his massacre before it could truly get under way. For a terse moment, the two held one another's gaze; because it was a standoff, and neither was willing to yield.

"That wasn't particularly wise of you." Naruto cautioned, his voice lost somewhere between an amused growl and an exasperated hiss. "Eustass."

"I've got nothing against you, kid." The redhead retorted as the marines cowered before their unexpected saviour. "I just can't let you have _all_ the fun, is all."

"Is that so?" Naruto countered, his ill mood dripping from his face like water. "Well then, why didn't you say so?"

"Too busy admiring your handiwork." Eustass replied, his gaze subtly shifting to the ashen remains that had once been a marine. He paused, seemed to consider his words for a moment then shrugged, as if to say "ah, screw it" and in that instant, Naruto once again knew what was about to be asked of him. Still, he gave Eustass the benefit of the doubt, and, unlike Luffy, permitted the man to finish his sentence.

"Whaddya say, gaki?" Eustass offered. "After we wipe out these marines, you wanna join up with me and my crew?"

Naruto's expression crumpled.

_'Are you kidding me?'_

"Hey!" Luffy snapped back, abruptly pushing himself between them. "No fair! I asked him first!"

"And _I_ asked him second!" Eustass spun on the rubber man, retalitating with his usual sarcastic mannerisms. "You wanna make somethin' of it, Monkey D. Luffy?" For a terse moment it looked as if the two might have it out, were it not for Trafalgar Law's subtle clearing of the throat. All eyes fell upon the two hundred million man, who had kept his silence throughout the battle thus far.

"I hate to interrupt, but I think we all have an appointment to keep." He murmurred this aloud. "I don't know about the three of you, but I have no intention of sticking around waiting for that admiral to show." At that, everyone finally seemed to remember that there was no time to waste; a navy admiral was indeed on the way, and they hadn't the time to waste bickering.

"You're the second one to make me that offer today." Naruto finally answered, refusing to so much as even look at Luffy. "Look, I hate the marines for the way they vindicated my old man, but I'm afraid that my place is here, on this island." He offered a helpless shrug and shook in his head in emphasis. "Once we've finished up here, we'll be parting ways, I'm afraid."

_"Heh!"_ Luffy stuck out his tongue. "Told you!"

"I NEVER SAID I WAS GOING WITH YOU, EITHER!" Naruto protested!

"Too bad." Eustass shrugged halfheartedly. "I'd hate to see a talent like yours go to waste." He fished around in the pocket of his pants and emerged with a slim slip of paper, one that he immediately offered to Naruto. "Here's the number for my Den Den Mushi. Let me know if you change your mind. We'll be waiting in grove fifteen."

"I won't be." Came Naruto's clipped reply, although he did not refuse the slip of paper that was offered to him thereafter. "Now, I believe we were-

"Right." Eustass interrupted. "Almost forgot about _them."_

With a contemptous gesture, Eustass swatted at the marine vanguard. A stray mortar fired at that very instant, hurtling a sphere of metallic death directly toward his face. Kid simply extended a a hand, fingers splayed, arms wide open, as though he were greeting an old friend. The cannonball stopped cold, its trajectory halted; left dangling scarcely a centimeter from his open palm.

Eustass scoffed and flexed his hand, purplish sparks spraying outward from his fingers as a result.

_**"Repel."**_

For a moment, the cannonball hung there, suspended in the air.

Then it jolted backward, back from whence it came.

The result was magnificent.

Not only did it create a virtual wall of explosions between the marines and themselves, but it had the added benefit of bleching forth a cloud of thic, acrid smoke. That smoke being the fact which also gave Luffy and Trafalgar Law enough time to form a counterattack of their own. For, by the time the smoke had cleared, Naruto saw a sight that he swore he would never forget.

Somehow, Monkey D. Luffy's right arm had swelled, growing to gigantic proportions. Rather, it was the arm of a giant. Normal only at the shoulder, it swelled outward toward the elbow, towering over them both. Simply by blowing into his thumb, he increased the size of his fist tenfold, until its shadow loomed over most of the clearing. How in the hell had he done that?

"Gear third!" Luffy announced proudly, much to the dismay of the now cowering marines. "This arm is the arm of a giant!"

Likewise, Trafalgar Law had produced a countermeasure all his own. Several yards to the right, he, abd several other marines, stood beneath the space of what could only be described as a large blue _dome._ Even as Naruto looked on, Law took out his sword and swung downward. He blinked, and it was over. One moment the marines were standing there, confused and perplexed, and the next, they had been ruthlessly reduced into mere shambles of their former selves.

"Shoot them!" The major screamed! "Shoot them now!"

"S-Sir, we can't!"

"And why is that!" The major all but shrieked!"

"O-Our weapons!" Even as the marine spoke, his own rifle hurtled upward into the heavens. "They're flying away!"

"WHAT!"

For a moment, just a moment, Uzumaki Naruto felt a twinge of fear. Swords, guns, bullets, even the mortar cannons themselves, were being hoisted upward. Each of them left the earth of their own accord, heedless of the laws of gravity. One by one, they joined to form a massive appendage, attached to the arm of Eustass Kid. His own katana struggled to free itself from its sheathe as well, as if it too, were being pulled by a strong magnetic force.

That was it!

A magnet!

Naruto realized it as he gawped up at the massive limb that was being formed alongside Luffy's. Eustass's powers revolved around magnetism! The knowledge did him little good however, as he watched countless swords, spears, cannons, and other useless junk, drift outside from within the auction house. One by one they came together. One after another, they became one, locking and interlocking in ways that should not have been possible. One by one, they took the shape of hulking monstrosity that could only be described as massive arm, of sorts.

Was that a hand they were forming? No, it was making...a fist.

"Oh, shit, shit _shit!"_

Forming a massive fist fused of cobalt and iron and steel. It was a stupendous sight, truly. Coupled with Luffy's immense limb, it looked as though a massive monstrosity were reaching down to pluck them all from the face of the earth and scour Sabaody Archipeligo clean. That was only a metaphor, really, but as he beheld this marvelous marvel, he could not help but feel sorry for the marine's that turned tail and ran from the path of their impending destruction.

And he, Uzumaki D. Naruto, had the misfortune of standing before it. It was time to find higher ground, or better yet...

_...lower._

"Gigant Pistol!" Luffy bellowed, thrusting his arm forward!

"Eat this!" Kid's attack was immediately forthcoming as well, the giant hunk steel and its fingers curling to form a massive metal battering ram that plowed into the dirt within mere seconds of Luffy's own technique. The marines didn't bother to shoot at the impending wall of flesh and metal bearing down on them. They weren't so foolish as to think that they could succeed; despite the insults and instructions the major hurled at them, they all turned tail and ran.

It was too little, too late.

Like a giant bulldozer, Eustass and Luffy simply plowed through the Marine vanguard. There were no weapons to impede them-_nothing short of a nuclear missle could possibly hope to accomplish such a task-_and as such, they swept through the ranks of the soldiers unhindered. Even so, Naruto had just enough time to throw himself clear from the massive attack, and nearly found himself blown from his feet as a result of the near miss.

Grit and gravel sprayed upward from the blast, momentarily blinding them. When it had finally cleared, they were no longer alone. In fact, much to Naruto's relief, he found it to be a welcome sight. Luffy's crew was already descending the steps, marveling at the amount of destruction that the quartet had wrought. In his peripheal vision he noticed Rayleigh, still carrying Hacchi, followed by the others members of Trafalgar and Kid's crews; but to him, they were irrelevant.

He only had eyes for one woman.

"Ahahaha!" Rayleigh laughed as his son strode past, "That was quite impressive!" Naruto didn't know whether this comment was directed at him or the others_-though he had strong suspicion that it was the former-_and quite frankly he didn't much care. Thusly, he did not alter his course in the slightest. There would be plenty of time for a family reunion later, when they were safely away from here. For now, strange though it might seem, his sole concern was Caimie's safety.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Caimie-chan." Naruto already knew where to find her, and as such, he made a direct beeline for the Franky, who was still carrying the mermaid. "I think its high time we left, don't you?" He sincerely hoped she hadn't seen any of his repulsive actions_-his bloodlust was sated now-_but the innocuous look in her eyes assured him he had precious little to worry for, where her safety was concerned.

"H-Hai." She stammered, flushing when he turned his gaze on her. It was only then that Naruto realized how god awful he must look. Covered in soot and blood_-none of it his own-_from the battle, he surely looked as though he'd been through hell and back. Rather ironic, considering the basis for his own devil fruit powers. Scrubbing at his face with the back of his hand, he was equally alarmed to feel the blood rising to his cheeks at her concerned expression.

"I-It's not mine." He assured her. "Th-The blood, I mean."

_Damn but she distracted him so easily!_

"Caimie-chwaaaaan~" Sanji sang, "I'd be more than happy to-

That snapped him right out of the funk she'd thrown him into.

_"I'll_ carry her." Naruto ammended curtly, snatching Caimie from Franky before Sanji could make a further fool of himself. "Thank you very much." Without another word, he swept her up onto his back brought the full weight of his gaze to bear upon the young mermaid.

"Any injuries?" He asked, risking a glance back at her.

"N-No." She flushed in response. "I'm alright."

"Good." Naruto nodded, his gaze sweeping back to Rayleigh in warning. "Just wanted to be sure." But if the old man had any thoughts as to his son's utter infatuation with this darling young mermaid, then he was doing a splendid job of keeping them to himself. He only smiled, knowingly, the way most father's do when they realize that their child is about to take that first pivotal step in their journey of life.

"I hope you have a way out of here." Naruto frowned.

"Actually," Sanji grimaced, taking a pull of his cigar, "We do."

"Young master and his friends!" A distant voice shouted! "Over heeeeeeere!"

"Eh?"

Sanji slapped a hand to his own face and pointed, as if the very sight pained him.

_**"?"**_

Naruto followed his gaze, past the marines, past the skirmishes that were taking place, and that was when he saw them. A great, hulking man, and several normal-sized men waving_-rather dramatically-_at them. Could they possibly be any more bold? As if to confirm his suspicions, several marines turned and brought many a rifle to bear upon said individual and his companions.

_"Twist!"_

Seconds later, they were writhing on the ground. Naruto blinked, tracking what looked like hands, that had bloomed from their bodies. As he looked on, the many limbs simply dissolved into countless flower petals, blowing away with the wind. Judging from the way in which the unfortunate group spasmed, he'd guessed correctly. Most likely, they'd suffered irrepairable damage to their spines; because hands had simply blossomed from their arms and shoulders and broken their backs.

What the bloody hell?

"Sugoi!" Caimie crowed from her perch on his back. "That was amazing, Robin-chin!"

_"Nani?" _

A soft chuckle emerged from behind him, mingling with the smell of smoke and gunpowder. Naruto spared a glance for the sound, one eye reappearing over his shoulder while the other remained trained on the incoming marines, eventually forcing him to slow. Instead, He found the smiling visage of Nico Robin there to greet him. Although it ocurred to him to ask, her smile immediately left him discouraged in that regard.

_'As expected of Nico Robin..._

"We should keep moving. "She winked, then moved on ahead of him. "A storm's coming." Naruto blinked, suddenly realizing that the grove had grown dark. Dreading what he might find, he turned his gaze skyward. Sure enough, a dark cloud loomed overhead. A single, solitary cloud, that shook and rumbled with thunder. Time to get moving. With no more than a percursoryu glance over his shoulder for Eustass and Law; and that moment of inattention almost cost him dearly.

_**"Thunderbolt Tempo!"**_

Naruto needed no further inclination when lightning began to rain down around him. It was either stay here, or follow the Strawhats, who seemed to have an escape route. In one swift movement, careful to keep Caimie balance on his back, he started moving. He caught sight of the Nami, hurtling some yellow orb of sorts into the cloud because this technique didn't seem to discriminate between friend and foe.

_'Crazy! This pirate crew is a buncha crazies!'_

He took off running for the flying fish, heedless of the fate his father had in store for him. For little did he know, that as he ran frantically toward safety, Caimie in tow, that his father was watching all the while. Even as Naruto scrambled for the safe harbour that Duval and his Rosy Life Riders offered, Rayleigh had already settled himself and Hacchi upon one of the mounts, patiently awaiting his offspring's imminent arrival.

He tapped Luffy on the shoulder.

"When all this is said and done, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Eh?" Luffy blinked. "What's up, ossan?"

Rayleigh pointed for Naruto.

"I want you to take my son with you on your adventure."

_**A/N: Gah! Naruto and Caimie are just so cute together! I also hope you enjoy the hint of NarutoxRobin that I injected as well. And hurrah for Rayleigh and his brilliant scheme! Anywho, hope you liked the battle! I know I promised you Naruto vs Kizaru and Kuma, but that will have to wait until the next chapter! We'll see some fluff, some romance, and a LOT of bloody good action! Hehehe, Fire vs. Light, I wonder which is stronger? Oh well, we'll just have to wait and see.**_

_**And here of course, is a preview of the next chappy!**_

_**Preview:**_

"Don't you understand?" she diverted, whirling around to face him for the first time. Her eyes brimmed with tears; the signs of her hurt stayed on the ledges of her eyes. He looked away. "Don't you understand that a navy admiral is-

_"Of course I understand."_

She froze.

"I understand," Naruto began slowly, "That I can't carry you while I'm fighting." Sapphire smoldered darkly, becoming almost scarlet in color as he peered down at the young maiden. "But I want you to understand," He heaved a deep breath and bound one hand into a fist, "That I'll be coming right back." He'd been stepping over rubble and debris all the while he realized, and now she was dangerously close to him.

"I promise I'll be back." He swore, momentarily clasping his hand in hers. "But I have to help them."

"Promise?" She asked softly.

"I said," Naruto began with exasperation, "I'll definitely be-_mmph!"_

She cut him off by thumbing his chin back to face her, her lips touching his softly. He hesitated for a moment, her heart sinking for a moment, before he leaned gently into her. His right hand came to rest on her thigh, his left coming up to cup her cheek and she placed both of hers on his chest and she fell forward into him. She lowered her lips to his and their world fell away.

_'Did she just...is she actually..._

Caimie cut him off with a kiss, her lips pressing against his with the repressed passion of an eternity. Naruto froze, becoming like a stature in the embrace. She melted into his warmth. Weakly, returned the action, his mouth moving on top of her with an equally, feverous desire. Wonderful, so incredibly wonderful. He regretted that he'd never kissed her earlier; her instant reaction to his kiss letting him know she'd been waiting, _waiting _for him to _finally _make a move. They remained locked together for what felt to Naruto like an eternity, his heart swelling within his chest as he tasted her tongue against his.

He finally broke himself away from her, the anguish of the action striking painfully at his soul, knowing that this would be something painful, something terrible, something so wonderful that none of this even mattered anymore. Nothing but the trembling and quivering and sobbing maiden in his arms. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she looked at him; sapphire orbs welling up, growing large while she struggled to swim through thick emotions. He could feel his own cheeks heat up as warm streaks of water spilled down them, the tears slowly dripping from his chin.

It was too much. He couldn't suffer like that, ever again.

"Sorry." He muttered, pushing himself away from her. "I...I gotta go!"

"No-

Too late.

With a crackle of smoke and flame, he went.

**A/N: Hope you liked it! Don't forget to review! The epic battle starts next chappy! The more reviews I get, as you've seen, the more inspiration I get, and the more epic the battles become! Stay tuned! Next time: A legacy revealed! First Mate Rayleigh?**


	4. Confrontation and Departure

**_A/N: Alright, fight time! This is what you've all been waiting for, ladies and gents! A regular battle royale! I won't reveal the outcome-or Naruto's fate for that matter-but what I CAN divulge, is that you are most certainly going to enjoy this chapter! That being said, review! I'll keep typing until my eyeballs fall out! But since I am a skeleton...I HAVE NO EYEBALLS! YOHOHOHO! SKULL JOKE!_**

**_Confrontation and Departure_**

The door to Peterman's base was suddenly torn asunder.

"Eh?" The men inside turned, their slavery forgotten. And with good reason. A blond youth stepped over the ruined door and flung it outward, exposing the harsh shafts of light lurking just beyond the arch. Standing there, outlined against the brightness, his shadow enveloped the room. He stepped forward, aware of the rifles leveled upon him, the bullets piercing his body, and the screams of fear and disbelief that resounded throughout the afternoon.

He waited.

_Waited._

Then he turned the mask of judgement upon them.

_"Slaver!"_

He reached to the flames. They came, joyfully.

Someone was screaming, a terrible scream compounded a hundred times by the darkness to shake every hall and tunnel of the hideout. Naruto laughed and flung his arms out. As they passed in front of him, he saw that his skin had totally disappeared beneath the all-absorbing wriggling blackness. Nor did the flames stop at the bounds of his body. They lashed out from his arms_-out farther and farther, like great wings-_and came down on either side, barely registering the slaver's last desperate attacks.

As if through smoke, there were glimpses of gleaming iridescent black skin, the crescents of exaggerated muscles, a face like judgement, with brows pronounced and frowning and glossy black eyes that leaked hellish blue flames. He could see the terror etched into their eyes as they beheld the flames, whipping and crackling from his body. He didn't bother to introduce himself; these men would tell no tales of the massacre that would take place here, this day.

He marched past a knot of gaunt slaves, wide-eyed at the sight of him. He flicked his fingers twice, and their chains clattered to the floor, later, they were out the door, hurtling themselves toward safety and freedom. He didn't blame them any. They were wise to flee while they had the chance. He stepped behind them, his shoulders framing the door as he stalked into the inner depths of the storehouse.

The next door he met splintered before his approach.

He stepped into the room, and found dozens upon dozens of rifles leveled at him.

"Which one of you is Peterman?" He murmurred softly, deadly, his eyes sweeping across the room, taking in the hulking man towering above the rest. Said man was currently coweing in a corner, so he really needn't have bothered. He already knew what was going to happen, it was simply a matter of formality. With this act, this noble rite of sheer righteous redemption, he would cleanse this place, and deal a major blow to the slaving industry.

_"You!"_ He thundered, to which the man whimpered and simultaneously soiled himself. Naruto didn't pity him any. The fool had brought this fate upon himself. The moment the base of Peterman had been pointed out to him by Franky, he'd been on a mission. That mission, simply put, was the complete and utter annihilation of the slavers who resided in this abode. He was grateful that Caimie and the other's couldn't see his chosen form at the moment. He wouldn't want to be see _himself_ like this; let alone the judgement he was about to wreak.

But back to the matter at hand. The time had come.

_Time for vengeance._

"Peterman!" He shouted, bringing his arms up in a devastating sweep of motion. "I judge you! I find you wanting!" He screamed and let the black flames whoosh over his skin in excess, casting aside the slavers who suddenly boiled forward at him. "You! You! All of you!" He thrust his hands for the ceiling, causing several of them to flinch, and other to cringe at the sudden movement.

"I condemn you all!" He bellowed, whirling on the two men closest to him. "For your sins!"

Twins swords, smoking black blades, veritable bars of black fire, slid from his hands. He made them glow, wreathed in blue flames. He slashed with the left blade. It didn't so much as cut as devour. There was barely any resistance as the blade passed through noseguard, nose, chin, tabard, gambeson, and stomach. The man looked down, then touched his split face where blood gushed. He screamed, and his entrails spurted out.

The other bolted, shrieking.

_"Murderer!" _The slaver's stomach opened, but by then Naruto had moved on to his next victim.

_"Raper!"_ Naruto yelled. He slid the foremost of his swords through the man's loins. It would be a bad death. Three more died before anyone attacked him. He danced past a spear and then lopped off it's head, followed soon therafter by that of its owner. In minutes, the entire camp was in pandemonium. Men screamed, shouting obscenities, gibbering about a ghost, a demon, a phantasm.

He felt them crunch beneath those mighty wings like beetles popping under his boot. Their bodies broke like shells and the softness within was ground to gory smears on the rocks below. And throughout it all, not a single drop of blood spattered upon him. Any moisture that dared near this demonic angel of death simple evaporated. He was truly death incarnate; come to reclaim what was lost; come to deliver his own brand of justice.

The flames sang power and hatred and strength. _This is death, this is retribution, and I love it._

_"Torturer!"_ This time the sword appeared only as it jutted out of the slaver's back. The man was lifted on the sword and flung headlong into the side of an iron cauldron. He jerked, his flesh sizzling on the coals, but he did not roll away. His festering remains burned to ashes and left nothing behind but dust. Such was the fate of all who touched it; the dreaded black flames of the Amateratsu.

_"Defiler!" _Crescents of biceps and knotted shoulder muscles and glowing eyes were all that appeared, followed by a whoosh of flame as a spinning sword came alight. A slaver toppled to the ground. By the time his head was free of his body, Naruto was already gone, and onto the next. No one moved. It was impossible. An apparition that could not be harmed. Not by blade nor bullet nor fist.

Nothing could touch this divine demon of death.

_"Unclean! Unclean!"_ The demonic angel screamed, its whole figure glowing, burning blue. It killed left and right. Wreathed in blue flames, he descended upon the Hound Pets, carving a bloody swathe of destruction wherever he went. The flames spread with every step, leaping from one slaver to the next, sparing only one. Within minutes instead of hours, most of Peterman's men lay dead at his feet.

"N-No!" Peterman screeched, scrambling backward, away from the remains of his men, away from the flames, away from the one who would kill him. "P-Please don't kill me!"

Naruto cackled madly.

_"Don't kill you?"_

He stopped screaming, and it was long seconds before the sound stopped echoing through the slaver's den. He quieted the flames from his skin with effort. All that remained for him, was to erase the man who'd kidnapped Caimie in the first place. Unlike his men, he had been spared. For last. He came forward, wreathed in the fury and hatred and stretched one hand forward to Peterman, as if in greeting. The man_-truly he was such a frail thing compared to the raw intensity of this form-_and he backhanded him.

_Not gently._

"Sokatsui." He hissed through clenched teeth, pale wisps of flame working their way through his fist, into the jaw of his victim. "May you burn forever in the flames of eternal damnation, _slaver." _

"N-No...please! Ple_aaaaargh!"_

A grisly squelching sound filled the room.

Peterman's skull met the back of the wall, as did his spine, but not the rest of his body. The rest of him crumpled to the floor in a fleshy, smoldering heap. Naruto stared at his ruined remainds for a moment longer, disgust etched into his every feature. Then he snapped his fingers. Flames raced across the floor, seeking out every nook, cranny, and corner, consuming all; engulfing every inch of wretched house that had once housed so many helpless slaves.

Naruto straightened, bending at the knees as he rose to his full height. He surveyed his work and nodded, content. Had he the time, he would have made Peterman suffer for his crimes. But , seeing as he did not, he would have to content himself with the man's grisly-if not brutal-death. He strode forward, stomping over the worthless corpse as he went to retrieve the item he'd initially come for...

**0o0o0**

"Here." Naruto proffered it to her.

"My backpack!" Caimie all but squealed! "Arigatou!"

**0o0o0**

"Let's get inside." Rayleigh pointed to a small, decript looking house on the edge of the way. Naruto glanced at Luffy and crew, daring them to speak; to make any comment or assertation _or_ insinuiate in any way that the place was a dump. Thankfully, their attention was focused on anything but. Chopper was far too focused on stabilizing Hacchi, whose health seemed to be everyone's concern at the moment.

"Hey, Shakky!" Rayleigh rapped upon the door. "We're back!"

The door immediately swung open.

"Oh, Ray-san. Welcome back." The voice beyond the door didn't sound at all surprised to see Rayleigh again. "That was really fast." Naruto sweatdropped as none other than Shakky emerged, lazily leaning on the doorknob. "I'm really impressed that you guys found him, Monkey-chan." Her gaze immediately slid toward Naruto. "Looks like they've beaten you to it, Naruto-kun."

Naruto was about to protest that very factoid when Rayleight interrupted him.

"Hacchi's badly injured, so we've got to get him to the bed fast."

"What happened?" All semblance of relaxation dropped from her face. "Wait, nevermind! I'll get a bed ready for him!"

"Say pops," Luffy perked up, "You said we'd talk later." Naruto stiffened. His gaze traveled across the bar as they entered, as Hacchi was ushered into one of the many rooms kept in the back. Inadvertantly, they locked with those of his father. What was the old man up to this time? Was this another plot to get him to leave the Archipeligo, to venture out and see the world, as he'd always wanted to do?

"Oi," Naruto began darkly, "What did you tell him, exactly?"

Rayleigh only smiled, a strange glint in his eye.

* * *

><p><em>(One lengthy explanation later)<em>

"WHAT?" Luffy gawped. "On the Pirate King's ship?"

"I was the vice-captain." Rayleigh ammended, pouring himself a glass of liquor. "I'm Silvers Rayleigh. Nice to meet you."

"VICE-CAPTAIN?" Everyone gawped.

Rayleigh blinked.

"You didn't tell them, Hatchan?" Shakky asked.

"Well, we only needed him to coat the ship, so...

"Oh," Robin began. "You didn't notice?"

"I totally know that name!" Usopp sobbed.

"It's written down in so many books!" Nami added.

"That's definitely a name everyone's heard at least once." Sanji affirmed.

"But how does he," Zoro's gaze slid to Naruto, "Know a bigshot like you?"

"How else?" Rayleigh laughed. "He's my son!"

"You're_...what?"_

"Do you really think we'd be so rude to our own flesh and blood?" Shakky inquired pleasantly, her smiling growing as she beheld the gobsmacked expression everyone wore. A moment passed, and then another, and another, and still, the silence stretched between the three of them. "Oh?" She asked. "Naruto-kun, didn't you tell them?" Immediately, all eyes turned toward the bashful blond, crying:

_"Eeeeeeh?"_

Naruto felt his cheeks darken with shame.

"I'd hoped to keep it a secret." He muttered.

"Well," Rayleigh shrugged. "I suppose that doesn't matter now, does it?"

Naruto glowered at him.

"You...You had this planned all along, didn't you?"

Rayleigh did not honour him with a response. Instead, it was Shakky who ultimately gratified her son with a reply. She turned towards Naruto, the last whisps of her cigarette fleeing from her lips as she spoke; the fumes, the words, causing him to cringe.

"Naruto, darling, you can't possibly hope to stay here forever."

"Of course I can!" He shouted. "I'm not a pirate! I'm _never_ going to _be_ a pirate!"

"But-

_"I don't wanna hear it!"_

Naruto stood woodenly, not taking enough care. So great was his haste, so great was his desire to be gone from here, that he knocked down the stool he'd been sitting upon; leaving it to shatter in a cloud of smoke and dust and broken timber. He nearly tumbled over the remnants in his haste, and, when Robin-kind soul that she was-reached out to steady him, Naruto cringed from her as though she were afire.

"Are you alright?" She asked gently.

"I'm not!" He bellowed, slamming the door shut behind him.

Shakky finished cleaning a glass, then set it down.

"You'll have to forgive him." she said. "He's had...a hard life.

Whatever else they'd said, Naruto paid no heed to. He stormed down the path, leaving his parents, the Strawhats, and Caimie, far behind. Little did he know, that his sudden departure was not as sudden, nor as final, as he'd hoped it to be. He swore to himself that he wouldn't return, not until the Strawhats were off Shabondy. Perhaps then would be the right time to address this issue. Until then, he had no intention of returning, let alone joining some half-assed pirate crew!

"Never." He muttered to himself. "I'm not a pirate, I'm...not a pirate."

This proved to be something to reflect upon when he _did_ return, several hours after the fact.

* * *

><p>(Hours later)<p>

The news hit him like a sledgehammer.

Stars_-whole planets-_exploded before his eyes as he received the news, the news that an admiral had, in fact, come to Shabondy. Ironically his first concern was for that of the Strawhats, that ridiculous band of vagabounds whom he'd refused to join only hours before. Fools! Did they really think that they stood a change against an admiral, let alone, if his mother's instincts proved to be right-as they often were-a slew of pacifista?

"THEY WHAT!" Naruto bellowed at the top of his lungs. "You're kidding, right? You've got to be kidding! Where's Rayleigh?"

Shakky's silence spoke volumes.

"Ugh!" Naruto swore, flinging down his cap. "He went after them, didn't he? He's probably fighting the admiral right now, isn't he?" When his mother inclined her head just the slightest fraction of an inch, a slew of expletitves followed from her son's lips thereafter.

"Damnitall to hell!" Naruto swore, snatching up his sword from the bench. "I'm going after them!"

"But, Naruto-chin!" Caimie-he'd nearly forgotten about her-said softly. "You can't! You'll be killed!" She refused to face him-strange-instead kneading her hands into fists while she rubbed the anxiously against her wrists. "You...you won't stand a chance against them...will you?"

"Probably not." Naruto's reply was so soft, the mermaid almost thought she'd missed it.

"B-But-

"Well, I can't let Rayleigh die, either!" Naruto snapped back. "Sorry, Caimie, but I'm going!"

"Don't you understand?" she diverted, whirling around to face him for the first time. Her eyes brimmed with tears; the signs of her hurt stayed on the ledges of her eyes. He looked away. "Don't you understand that a navy admiral is-

_"Of course I understand!"_

She froze.

"I understand," Naruto began slowly, "That I can't carry you while I'm fighting." Sapphire smoldered darkly, becoming almost scarlet in color as he peered down at the young maiden. "But I want _you_ to understand," He heaved a deep breath and bound one hand into a fist, "That I'll be coming right back." He'd been stepping over rubble and debris all the while he realized, and now she was dangerously close to him.

"Promise?" She asked softly.

"I promise I'll be back." He swore, reaching forward, clasping his hand in hers. "But I have to help them."

"Can you really promise me that?"

"Definitely," Naruto began with exasperation, "I'll definitely be-_mmph!"_

She cut him off by thumbing his chin back to face her, her lips touching his softly. He hesitated for a moment, her heart sinking for a moment, before he leaned gently into her. His right hand came to rest on her thigh, his left coming up to cup her cheek and she placed both of hers on his chest and she fell forward into him. She lowered her lips to his and their world fell away.

_'Did she just...is she actually..._

Caimie cut him off with a kiss, her lips pressing against his with the repressed passion of an eternity. Naruto froze, becoming like a stature in the embrace. She melted into his warmth. Weakly, returned the action, his mouth moving on top of her with an equally, feverous desire. Wonderful, so incredibly wonderful. He regretted that he'd never kissed her earlier; her instant reaction to his kiss letting him know she'd been waiting, _waiting _for him to _finally _make a move. They remained locked together for what felt to Naruto like an eternity, his heart swelling within his chest as he tasted her tongue against his.

He finally broke himself away from her, the anguish of the action striking painfully at his soul, knowing that this would be something painful, something terrible, something so wonderful that none of this even mattered anymore. Nothing but the trembling and quivering and sobbing maiden in his arms. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she looked at him; sapphire orbs welling up, growing large while she struggled to swim through thick emotions. He could feel his own cheeks heat up as warm streaks of water spilled down them, the tears slowly dripping from his chin.

It was too much. He couldn't suffer like that, ever again.

"Caimie, I...uh, well, wow." He muttered, pushing himself away from her. "I will come back!" He shouted, flinging the door open, refusing to look at her. "Definitely! Absolutely absolutely! _Believe it!"_

With a crackle of smoke and flame, he vanished...

* * *

><p>...and a howl tore through the clearing.<p>

It was primal agony, torn from that individual bit of spark that was a human soul. It was the most horrible thing you would ever hear, and they all recognized it for what it was: the sound of a soul dying. And then it escalated up the scale to a war cry of undiluted fury. The sound left Borsalino disoriented, confused, and smiling. And that was before he saw the hellish black blur hurtling toward him and the exhasuted sight at his feet.

"Ooh, so you did have a son, after all?" Borsalino blinked as he eyed the thin tear in his sleeve. "And a skilled one at that, it seems." He raised his sword again, intent to bring down another earth-shattering final blow upon Rayleigh, who'd forestalled him for so long the man upon whom he'd gained the upper hand only after nearly losing_-yes losing-_one of his own. Now, too his delight, and, too his dismay, Kizaru found that three fingers of his left hand were sudden, and, inexplicably, missing.

_"I'll fucking kill you!"_

An instant later the first fireball carromed off his back. Grunting, the Admiral staggered; stumbling half a step forward. There was the briefest glint of light as a pillar of black flame consumed his as a flaming blade whisked through the patch of air that his body had just occupied, only an instant before.

_"Damn it all!"_ Naruto swore, sparing a glance for his sword, and the thin droplet of blood that leaked from the weapon's tapered tip. "I was so close!" Scarce had he spoken then a blinding glare erupted before his eyes, nearly blinding him for a moment. On some misbegotten instinct, he flung a hand outward. His knuckles connected; his fingers seizing upon and wrapping around that heel before its owner could deliver him yet another debilitating blow.

"Not bad." Kizaru chuckled. "I didn't think the "Dark King" would ever be so foolish as to have a child. But... did you really think that would stop me_...boy?"_

Naruto flew.

_Literally_.

Despite the extra time that the block granted him, Naruto was too close to the source of the attack and couldn't completely dodge out of the way. A golden, star-shaped beam roared upwards from the cloud of smoke on the ground, plowing into the thin privateer. His back collided with one of many mangroves as he smashed into, then through the sap covered tree. Unable to anything more than curse his misfortune, Naruto was sent spiraling towards the ground, a trail of smoke following him as the robes covering his chest smoldered into nothingness.

_'Damnit!'_

He quickly flipped himself off of the grass, his exposed torso now marred with fresh scrapes and burns as he ran towards a nearby grove. He leapt up and planted both feet flat against the brick building, his left hand reaching down to grip the rain-pipe that ran down the side of the structure. He suddenly leapt backwards, pulling the wakizashi free from its sheathe as he swung it outwards. The blade arced through the air, neatly slicing into the admiral's shoulder at the precise moment that he drifted out of the smoke below.

"Got you!"

Naruto immediately launched himself forward as Kizaru attempted to snap himself out of the shock he was currently in; the admiral wasn't even expecting his opponent to have recovered from the _blast_, much less to have reprocured his weapon. The blond was already in front of the marine, his wakizashi raking a vicious swath down the chest of the admiral. Borsalino's eyes widened in surprise and pain as he stumbled backwards, his hand reaching up and touching the blood that was now leaking through his favorite suit and coursing its way down his flesh.

Naruto feet also faltered beneath him, his footing in grass slipping for a split second as he attempted to regain his depleted breath. His violet eyes stared forward at Borsalino coolly, watching for a sign of the next attack. The admiral brought a large palm down from the slash in his skin, glancing down at the blood before steadying his eyes forward on the Dark King's offspring.

"Is that it?" Naruto chuckled hoarsely. "Is this all the strength_...that an admiral has to offer me?"_

Kizaru didn't make a sound.

He hardly reacted at all.

Yet he did.

If Naruto hadn't been studying his face as intently as he was, he would have missed the fraction of a second that Borsalino's smile wavered. His own smile grew. He knew that he was absolutely no match for this man. But he didn't need to be. He just needed to slow him down to buy the Strawhats enough time to escape. He was a logia too, after all, so he really had nothing to fear from Kizaru's lasers.

He just needed to watch out for that indefatigable speed of his.

"Let me ask you somethin' Kizaru-san," Naruto continued jovially, as if they were old friends. "Which do you think is stronger? My flame, or your light? Because from what I've seen so far, this battle was a waste of your time from the start. You have nothin' to worry about, not from me. I mean, why do you think I've been taking all your attacks from the very beginning?"

Kizaru remained stoic. His smile had returned in full, but his silence told Naruto all he needed to know.

"It's because I never intended to defeat you from the start." Naruto said coldly. "In fact, you're just wasting my time."

"Mockery isn't exactly a suitable tone for this discussion," Kizaru replied finally, coolly.

"I'm not mocking you," Naruto barked defensively. "Just tellin' the truth. Every time we've fought with your forces, it was because _you _initiated a battle. You stopped attacking us a while back and we stopped caring."

He pushed himself up to his feet.

"Stay out of this, old man!" Naruto barked, glaring bloody daggers at his father when he tried to intervene. "Go help the Strawhat! I still haven't forgiven you for trying to trick me into joining them, but we can save that for later!

"Not yet."

With a stomach-knotting plunge, Naruto dropped flung down his sword. Then he hurtled himself away, skipping backwards in retreat; struggling to blink away the black specks that swam beneath his lids. He didn't have time for this. He flung up a wall of fire between himself and the admiral, the flames serving to beat back the admiral, momentarily. It was a diversionary tactic, and one that couldn't possibly last.

And _then_ he saw the Shichibukai.

"Luffy!"

He turned, his eyes bulging as he saw the hulking shadow that had fallen over him. He spread his arms out and wide, throwing himself between Luffy and the impending hand, that swept down toward him, without pause. The padded paw gently pressed into his chest. Then there was pain. A deep, searing, mind numbing pain as the air boiled around him, rippling and swelling as Shabondy Archipeligo receded into the distance. around him, felt his eyes widen, felt his feet leaving the ground, and then-

Blackness.

**_A/N: Hahaha! There it is! Naruto got warped! Prince of Darkness lives on! Oh, and don't forget to review until my ears fall off. Although...being a skeleton...I have no ears! YOHOHOHOHO! SKUUUUUULLL JOOOOOKE!_**


	5. No Man's Land

**A/N: Onward I say! I'm on an updating spree! And Prince of Darkness is next on that List! Followed by Passing the Torch. I have no idea why, but after watching the newest One Piece Movie, I am on a One Piece craze! And witht hat I told you it now, I'd ruin the chapter! And with that...**

**...let the long awaited rebirth of this story begin! Onward with Prince of Darkness!**

_"I have the succint feeling...I'm not welcome here!"_

_~Naruto D. Uzumaki._

** No Man's Land**

_Pain._

That was the first thing Naruto felt when he came to. As if he'd been dunked in a sea of lava; his entire body screamed in protestation the moment he tried to move.

"Ugh...

Groaning, he propped himself up on his elbows, wincing at the stabbing pains in his chest and midsection. _Did anyone get the number of that mountain? He_ would've laughed at his own joke, but the fire in his ribs held him in check. His jacket had been all but eviscerated during the battle with Kizaru, leaving tattered strings of fabric hanging from his shoulders. Naruto cast it off, without so much as a second thought, leaving his chest bare. He found himself sitting in a paw-shaped crater surrounded by miles of lush, sweltering jungle as far as the eye could see.

He wasn't in Sabaody anymore. So where...?

"Oh damnit!" Naruto growled, facepalming. "That Kuma bastard...he sent my flying, didn't he?! Now I don't even know where I am!" Although the Gōka Gōka no mi had probably prevented any sort tramautic injury, he seriously doubted he had his devil fruit to thank for surviving that landing. Wincing, he allowed the black flames to course across his wounds and restore his body...for the time being. It still hurt like a bitch. Snapping a finger to his sword to make certain it was still there, the blond then dipped the rest of his hand into a pouch and extracted the vivre card he always kept on his person in case of such emergencies. He wasn't sure if that qualified as a giant sending him flying, but not was as good a time as any.

"Alright pops," he muttered, placing the piece of paper into his hand. "Lets see if you can bail me out of this...

The card inched slowly forwed in his palm.

"North, then." he said,

Naruto started walking, but soon hastened his pace as he remembered the peril his father had been facing. _Kizaru._ He had to hurry and get back there! It wasn't that he didn't trust his old man to look after himself_-he did-_he just...didn't want anything to happen to him. He took off in a run, sprinting with such speed, the flames of his body began to ignite; it was all he could do to prevent them from spreading, to other branches and catching fire. He didn't want to burn the forest down!

"Don't you die old man!" He hissed beneath his breath. "Don't you fucking die!"

So intent was he on his pace that he nearly slammed facefirst into the face of a wall. It stubbornly stood in his path, many miles tall and several feet wide.

Naruto opened his hand and checked the vivre card; it edged upward persistently.

"Up, huh?" Naruto regarded the sheer face with a glower, considering his options. He _did_ have a method of flight, but it was one he rarely practiced and as such, said skill was sorely lacking. He highly doubted that he'd be able to hold his weight for more than a few seconds; nowhere near enough time for him to clear the bluff. And even _his_ flames took time to burn through solid rock. Time he didn't have.

_"Nani?"_

The jungle seemed deserted; the silence was deafening. Almost as if...as if...

_Grrrrrrrr!_

Well, maybe not so deafening after all!

Naruto flushed and patted his now aching stomach, his gut growling forlornly for food.

"I never did have breakfast this morning...

As luck would have it, sromeone else hadn't had breakfast, either. A boar had been stalking him for the last five minutes now, lingering just on the edges of his observation haki. Naruto had been intent on escape until only a moment ago, so he hadn't noticed it creeping up upon him until now. He hadnt _smelt_ it until now, to be precise. Unfortunately, it had made the mistake of drawing a tad too close downwind. Naruto inhaled once and that was it; he had its scent. _So, ya thought you could make a meal out of me, eh?_ The poor pig had no idea; it was about to become a meal in recompense for its temerity.

He whirled and fixed it with a predatory stare.

Naruto took one look at the boar and licked his lips. "Hello, lunch!" The boar whimpered in fear. Naruto laughed and sucked in a deep breath channeling the _Goka Goka no mi_ into the pit of his stomach. _Sorry buddy!_ He grinned. _Looks like you're gonna be my lunch today!_ At the sight of his foul flames the boar squealed like a struck pig...which it was about to be. The poor pig had only just begun to turn when Naruto swung around and _spat _at it.

_"Goka Mekkakyu!" **(Great Fire Annihilation)**_

Exhaling mightily, the dark prince expelled a geyser of black flames toward his prey, a veritable inferno which even the fastest soru-user could never hope to escape. To say the pig failed was moot. It cried out as those deadly tongues of fire wrapped around its hooves and throat and dragged it to the ground, slowly incinerating the hapless animal before it had a chance to flee for the relative safety offered by the forest. A few minutes and a couple of slices later, Naruto was roasting the remnants of its body over an open fire. One couldn't expect to run on an empty stomach, after all.

"Hmmm..." He wondered between bites, "I wonder where Luffy is?"

* * *

><p><em>(Meanwhile)<em>

Monkey D. Luffy woke not to the sounds of the jungle, but to the clamor of alarms and boots against pavement.

However, he was not surrounded by lush forests. Instead he found himself staring at dark, unforgiving walls. Wreckage surrounded him, evidence of the abrupt end to his flight. A voice blared on the loudspeakers, loud and harsh, likely the cause of the of the panic which he found himself in.

"We have an intruder in Impel Down!" a snailphone declared. "I repeat, we have an intruder in Impel Down! All guards to level one! Do not let him reach level six! I repeat, do not let him reach level six! We believe his intention is to rescue-

"Impel Down?" Luffy blinked, tuning out the broadcast. "Where the hell is that?"

**-Fire Fist Ace!"**

Dread dropped like a weight into his Istomach.

_"Ace?"_

* * *

><p>One grilled pig and a full stomach later and Naruto found his wounds weren't quite so sore anymore. His stamina returned, the prince leapt to his feet, revitalized and restored. "Alright." He nodded to himself. "Time to find a way off this island!"<p>

Scarce had he taken another step than he felt it. His senses prickled in warning; the hair on the nape of his neck sta ndingfirmly on end. Someone or something was coming. Naruto frowned at the inkling, stretching out his senses with his Observation Haki. He wasn't as skilled with as he would've liked outiside of combat; he could only discern sound and smell. During battle-the few that he indulged in-was another matter entirely. With a blade in hand, not only could he read his opponent's next move

Both Rayleigh and Shakky had drilled it into him, yet somehow, he could only unlock his true potential in combat. The thought sobered him.

For now, he contented himself to listen, senses straining. Gradually he heard it; first as a sursurus of whispers, rising over those of the animals in the jungle then louder, as though someone were speaking from a great distance to make themselves heard.

_Voices?_

"Hurry!" A young woman called. The smoke was rising from over here!"

"Could it be that someone from the distant coastline managed to come here in secret?"

"Then this would the saga of "A Huge Crisis" right?"

"No," the first voice replied. "They're keeping a close eye on the waters around this island. And even if someone managed to get past unnoticed its hard to think anyone would intentionally do something like this to get themselves noticed."

_Geh!_ Naruto cringed! His stomach had betrayed him once again!

"Then who is it?"

"I don't know...lets split up here!"

"Understood!"

"Natives?" Naruto wondered to himself at the sight of their simple garb, his pace inadvertantly beginning to slow. "Wonder if they have a ship I can borrow?" He paused, torn between flight and fight. Should he stay, or should he go? Decisions, decisions. Running about aimlessly hadn't gotten him anywhere thus far, though. The island-if this was, in fact an island-seemed to have no end to its jungle. So long as he wandered, he risked getting himself lost, or worse. He cringed at the thought of nearly eating those mushrooms. That settled it then. Better to wait them out here, than to wander around and get himself into kami-knew what kind of trouble awaited him.

Settling himself into a crouch, the Dark Prince sat down, intent to wait them out. He didn't wait long. Scarce than thirty seconds after the fact, he detected the sound of snapping branch and twigs; a sure sign that they were nearly open him. Even so he wasn't entirely prepared for what popped out of the foliage. A woman. But one so large and corpulent-almost maculine in appearance-that she might've been a man were it not for her bosom. She took one look at him and cried out.

"Margaret! Margaret!" She cried. "Look at this!"

"What is it, Sweetpea?" A lithe young woman with short blond hair answered her compatriots call. "Oh!" She cried out in surprise once she saw him. She too, wore little in the way of clothing, also bearing a strange sort of staff. "Aphelandra! Over here!" If Naruto had been startled before, then now he was positively shellshocked. His jaw fell from his face as possibly _the_ tallest woman he'd ever laid eyes upon stepped out of the brush a heartbeat later, her childlike eyes regarding him with innocent curiousity. her

The trio regarded him curiously, as if he were something to marveled at.

"What is it?" Margaret asked.

"It looks lik ea person.

"Ahem, ladies!" Naruto waved to get their attention, his arm raised in greeting. "I have a _name!"_

The women started in surprise.

"It spoke!"

_It?_

Naruto's left eye twitched.

"Maybe she's not from here?" Aphelandra ventured.

"Enough!" Naruto growled, his patience wearing thin. "I am _not_ an it! And I'm certainly not a she! I'm a _he!"_

The ladies stiffened.

"Doest that mean...

...he's a man?!"

"It's my first time seeing one." Margaret breathed in awe. "He looks so different...

"Hah?" Naruto couldn't conceal his surprise. "You mean you've never see one?" He began to stand. "I'm not really the best example though-

"S-Stay back!"

Before he could blink Margaret's "staff" became a bow, one she knotched an arrow to, drawing the string back. Naruto was about to comment on the futility of such an effort, when she let it fly; his senses screamed for him to dodge! Instead of dissolving into his natural element as he often would for such a paltry attack, the blond slid aside. It saved his life. Even as he dodged, the arrow opened a thin slice against his cheek, shearing past him to exploded through the trunk of the tree he'd been resting upon in a shower of bark and timber.

"The hell?" he hissed in surprise, glancing at the lethal projectile. "Haki?!"

"I'm impressed." In the time it had taken him to inspect the arrow, the woman's naive mannerisms had all but vanished; she'd already knotched another arrow to her bow. "I didn't think you'd be able to dodge that, let alone recognize my 'ambition' firsthand." A piercing gleam entered her eyes. "But the next one won't miss."

Naruto glowered, pulling himself to his feet. He saw Sweetpea in his peripheals, but Aphelandra was nowhere to be seen. Or senses, for that matter. How could someone so large dissapear so suddenly? The sound of an arrow being drawn taut drew his attention back to Margaret.

"Oi oi, miss. Just why are you shooting at-

Margaret fired again.

_"Armament."_ Naruto whispered softly as the arrow streaked towards him, veins bulging in his forehead. _"Hardening."_ He stood his ground as the arrow slammed into him, grunting as it barreled into his chest and drove him into the ground, drawing up a cloud of smoke. The impact alone, was bone-jarring. There was no way he could have survived that! Even Hebihime-sama would be wounded by such an attack! There was no possible way a mere man could've endured it!

"Did I get him?" she wondered aloud.

"No," Naruto drawled as he picked himself up. He stood woodenly, not taking enough care, banishing the dirt and dust with a wave of the hand.

_**"You didn't."**_

Margaret felt her blood turn to icewater in her veins. There was no longer a man standing where she'd first fired the arrow. In its place was a creature out of nightmare. It only _looked_ human she reflected; its skin more a silky, shimmering shade of black onyx than any real flesh. Cruel crimson orbs bored into her and stripped her bare with a single glance. He riveted her where she stood; any effort to move, was wasted on her part. He regarded her quietly, refusing to make a move. And yet She felt as if she were looking into the eyes of a dark prince, one that would sweep her off her feet and carry her away if she let him.

"I guess its my turn to be impressed." Naruto admitted, the darkened color of the haki fading from his skin. "You're the first person since Rayleigh to make me use this; my armament haki."

Margaret gawped. This was haki, then?

"You know," Naruto reared his head, a devilish gleam entering his eyes, "My mother always told me to be nice to girls. "Never yell at them" she said. "Never hurt them", she said. "Always be kind to them", she said. But the way I see it, _you_ fired on _me_ first. So _I_ don't have to _do_ anything. And besides, you're pissing me of, ya know!"

He kicked the ground once, raised his hand, and vanished.

_"Soru."_

Margaret squealed in surprise as the man vanished; only to reappear next to Sweetpea. "Behind you!" The woman having been about to launch an arrow of her own turned; bringing her face directly into the path of the blonde's hand. Naruto flicked her forehead. _Not gently._ The blow catapaulted the corpulent woman backwards, sending her crashing head over heels into the undergrowth. Naruto didn't bother to follow her. Instead hed simply swayed, body breezing to the right as Margaret's arrow whistled through the patch of ground he'd just occupied.

"How _ruuuuude,"_ he chastised lightly. "There's no ned for that, after all, I only knocked her out."

Margaret felt a bead of sweat drip down her brow as her next arrow met a similair fate; as the blond swatted it into the ground. He was playing with them. _Toying with them._ How dare he! She felt her dread deepn with each miss

Naruto's body flickered once more and suddenly he stood before Margaret, arm drawn back, fingers clenched into a first.

"Sorry," he apologized, "This might sting a little."

Despite all her training, Margaret froze. She couldn't bring herself to think, to move, to do anything; she could only scream as the man's first barreled toward her face. _Stop!_ Her mind wailed! _Stop, stop, stop! _Now, it was Naruto's turn to freeze. He stopped abruptly at the last instant, his knuckles barely brushing her cheek. Despite herself, the amazon flushed. His knuckles were rough against the soft satin of her cheek; this close, she could feel the callouses, see the scars lining the length of his hand. His hand belonged to a fighter, someone who'd fought everyday of his life. This man was a warrior. The thought sent a thrill of anticipation down her spine, fluttering in her stomach like butterflies, hammering like a drum in her heart.

His eyes searched hers for a moment, then he peeled himself away.

"W-Why?"

_"Aah,"_ he sighed, raising his shoulders in a half-hearted shrug. "I've gone and done it now. For some reason, I just can't bring myself to hit a lady when she screams, ya know?" Without another word he turned his back on her, facing toward the jungle as though she no longer represented any sort of threat. "Your friend should be alright, I think. Didn't hit her too hard...

At those words Margaret blinked, her desire driven away by her sense of duty. She couldn't let this man escape!

_N-Now's my chance!_

Against her better judgement, the blond braced herself for the worst and let the arrow fly.

This time, Naruto wasn't fast enough.

Even as he batted Margaret's arrow aside another struck him from behind, the deadly missile sinking to the shaft in his right shoulder. Aphelandra! He'd lost track of the amazon in the beginning and now there she was, crouched behind the very same tree he'd just vacated. She waved at him cheerily.

"Shit!"

Naruto snarled as he yanked the arrow out of his arm, wincing as it came away bloodied. That was when he felt it. Or rather, a lack thereoef. He couldn't feel the fingers of his right hand. Or his left, for that matter. The beginnings of a realization dawned on him; he was alarmed to find that his face had gone numb as well. He made it all of two steps before it reached his legs; before he collapsed ina heap. It felt as if a curtain had been draped across his vision; despite his best efforts to stir himself and rise, he couldn't find the strength. Couldn't keep his eyes open.

"What the...poison? Shit...

"That arrow was coated in a powerful sedative." Margaret answered, looming over him. "You won't be able to move for awhile."

She lowered her bow.

"You spared me, so I won't kill you." she continued as his vision began to dim. "But I _will_ bring you back to the village. The others will surely want to see this for themssssssss-

Whatever else she said ended in gibberish as Naruto passed out-

* * *

><p>-and woke with a start.<p>

_Fuck._ Was his first thought as he felt the cold stone cot beneath his back. _I wasn't planning on being captured..._

There was no way of telling just how long he'd been out

He found himself locked in a stone cage, his bed facing a long series of bars, and a horde of women. Now, Naruto, young though he was, had long enough to appreciate the female form for what it was. Even so, he was mildly alarmed by the sheer volume of themr.. They were as numerous as the clouds in the sky, each different from the other. Slowly, warily, he rose from the cot, taking great care not to spook any of them. It did him little good. The moment he moved, the chatter started anew.

"The man has awakened!"

"Let me see, let me see!"

"I want to see too!"

Naruto moved slowly and deliberately, not trusting himself to any sudden movements. They'd stripped him of his clothes during his sleep and bandaged his wounds, probably the reason why his chest no longer ached in each and every breath. Though it galled him to roam around naked in front of so many prying eyes, he couldn't bear to sit still for one second longer.

"It moved...look, no chest at all."

"Such a ruggedly hansome beast."

"It looks so strong with that long, scruffy-looking hair."

"It certainly had a long sleep...

Naruto felt his cheeks begin to burn beneath their words; these women acted like they'd never seen a man before! But that was ridiculous! Absurd! Everyone knew what a man looked like! How could these lovely ladies not know a member of the opposite sex when they saw one?

"Che." He snorted softly, pulling himself off the cot. "Its like I'm a damn lab rat or something." Painful memories flickered through his mind, causing his heart to race. _No,_ he reminded himself. _That was in the past. Just the past._ Nothing to worry about now. Still, he didn't relish the idea of walking about like a human mummy...

"Hey, can I take these off?" he asked, indicating the bandages.

"Everyone...shh! It's saying something!"

When no response was immediately forthcoming, the Dark Prince took matters into his own hands. Naruto grunted, igniting his natural element. Black flames burst from his body, boilig the bandages away, scouring him clean. He was pleased to find nothing but clean flesh beneath the wrappings, no hint of gangrene or blood or anything. As always he welcomed the warmth of his element and all that it offered; strength, security, solace and all. Wreathed within his element as he was, nothing save seastone could touch him. He was invincible. Unstoppable.

The amazons didn't seem to share his opinion; they lurched back as if they'd been _burned._

"What on earth is its body made of?!" one of them cried!

"So men can burst into flames? Too shocking, must note it down, this is so interesting!"

He was just about to deny such a thing when he caught sight of Margaret behind the bars. The brown-eyed blond was peering intently at him, but not at his face. Her gaze drifted lower, then lower still still. Naruto felt a prickle of disbelief inside him, causing him to bristle. She wasn't gonna...

_She was gonna._

"Before you put your clothes on...could you tell us about the bag between your legs?" she asked. "What on earth is inside that?"

**"Iie."**

Naruto made an angry noise through his teeth.

"DID IT JUST _HISS_ AT US?!" the women yelled disbelievingly. "_Kono_ –!"

"Like hell I'm gonna tell you about that!" he snarled. "Now gimme back my clothes! My sword, too!"

"H-Here." Margaret reached through the bars, offering him some fabric. "Yours were terribly beaten up so I...umm...made some new ones." Naruto frowned at the light flush dusting her cheeks. Was she embarassed or something? "T-Take them." Her arms stretched further through the bars, her fingertips brushing against his as he accepted the offering. "I'm afraid we can't give you your sword back, though-

"

"Thanks again." Naruto gratefully accepted the clothing, her words not . "I...huh?"

"..."

Naruto slowly doned the facsimle of his crimson slacks but after taking one look at his new frilly jacket and shirt, burned them to cinders.

"IT'S BURNING THEM?!"

"What the hell is this?!" He roared. "My mother made these for me! You've ruined them with all these frills and laces!"

Abruptly the women lurched backward. Once more, he found himself facing a sea of strung snake-bows. Not again!

"Get ready to shoot!" Someone commanded.

"What the?!"

"How ferocious, so that is your true nature!" A woman with black hair snarled. "Going wild without a single thought for the kindness of those who have saved your life! A truly savage temperment! I've noticed you have not the slightest trace of grace in your speech or actions, either! As I thought, your kind and ours simply do not mix!"

"But Kikyou," Sweetpea protested, "You can't kill it just for that-

"Its for your own good!" She cut them off. "Margeret, SweetPea, Aphelandra! If Hebihime-sama were to realize you'd brought a man into our village, she'd never forgive you! We must kill him and destroy the evidence, while we have a chance! Now! Before she returns and finds-

"Kill me?!" Naruto cut them off with harsh laughter; it was a deep throaty sound. "Go ahead! Try!" He beckoned with a hand, eyes blazing. "Fire away! See what happens!" He was sick of this! Sick of being made a fool, of being understimated, of everything! Ever since he'd met the strawhats, everything had gone straight to shit! Well, not anymore! These woman thought they could kill him, just like that?! Let them try! He raised both hands now, body brimming with black flames, eyes dripping blood. This technique was a bitch to use, but...

"Come on!" he growled in challenge. "Hit me!"

Margaret blanched at the memory of his haki, her fingers lowering on the string. But even that wouldn't sustain him against so many arrows. Could it be he had something _else_ up his sleeve? The look in those eyes told her yes, he had more up his sleeve. Much more. And if they fired upon him.

"No wait! Don't-

Too late.

"FIRE!" Kikyou commanded!

**BA-KRAM!**

Dozens upon dozens of arrows pierced the cell, skewering the hapless blond where he stood. Smoke billowed outward, rising from the pulverized stone to obscure their vision. Nothing stirred within that cloud of dust an debris. He was dead, then. Margaret felt something twist inside her at the thought. Such a shame. She truly would've liked to know him better.

"It was for the best." Kikyou sighed, lowering her bow.

**"Is that so?"**

Materializing outward from the ghoulish appendage that had warded away the arrows, a grisly creature of shadow and flame and was born. Little more than a human skeleton, the creature loomed over its master, its ghastly appearance bellying the awesome power it wielded and that of its creator, who stood enshrouded within its ribcage. Gleaming with ill-intent, the creature raised its right hand, and within its fingers appeared a blade of black, blazing luminescence. Naruto brandished his blade, reclaimed during the confusion, and held it high. The giant mimicked the motion, bringing its black blade to bear.

With one swing of its ethereal sword, the bars burst; shattering like so much timber.

"W-What is that?" One of them whispered.

"This?" Naruto snickered, dabbing a hand at his bloodied eyes. "This is simply part of my ability; the ability of the **Hellfire **fruit." Even as he spoke the creature seemed to gain substance; muscle wrapping around bone flesh around muscle and armor unto flesh. Sickly yellow eyes leering down at the whole of them-mocking them-within its half helm, the flaming creature's mouth hanging open, in silent laughter. Naruto stepped outside the cell, out of the darkness and into the light and the giant followed, hanging over hime like a shroud.

"This," he sneered, "Is my ultimate shield. I call it...

_"Susanoo."_

There was a tense silence; thick with anticipation.

If they'd expected him to stand and fight, they were sorely dissapointed. Abruptly the blond bowed and leapt toward the rooftops, the susanoo disintegrating to a mere ribcage around its master; dashing away at such a speed that even the amazons themselves were hard-pressed to see him, let alone match his pace.

"Be seeing ya!" he cackled.

_"COME BACK HERE!"_

And thus the chase began.

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! Naruto wound up on Amazon Lily whilst Luffy accidentally landed in Impel Down! This promises to be an amusing change of pace! My damn keyboard keeps acting up, so I apologize for any grammatical errors. ****Prince of Darkness lives on! Oh, and please don't forget to review until my ears fall off. Although, being a skeleton...I have no ears to listen! YOHOHOHOHO! SKUUUUUULLL JOOOOOKE! Naruto and Hancock next chapter! XD Hope you liked the abilities of the Goka Goka no mi (Hellfire fruit!) Model: Kagatsuchi! Look forward to pairings aplenty as of next chapter!**

**So...in the immortal words of Atlas...**

**...Review, would you kindly?**

**R&R! =D**


	6. Lovelorn and Battleborn

**A/N: Alright let sadress something. Naruto is actively holding back. Hellfire isn't a power to be unleashed lightly. This stuff is hotter than magma and can burn gas, water, even air itself! If he ever were to use his full powers without restraint he could EASILY an entire island singlehandedly. Will he ever stop holding back? Ooooh yes. In fact, you'll see so in this very chapter! Its a _suuuuuper _long one! We get to see Naruto doing what he does best! KICKING ASS AND TAKING NAMES! With a little romance in between!**

**And with that being said...**

**...let the long awaited rebirth of this story continue! Onward with Prince of Darkness! **

_"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."_

_~Naruto D. Silvers._

** Lovelorn and Battleborn**

"LET ME GO!"

"Will you calm down, troublesome woman?!"

Margaret was _not_ going calm down; not in the least! Perhaps some explanation was needed therein. No sooner had their dreaded _man_ escaped from his cage than he'd led all of Kuja warriors-herself included-on a wild goose chase across half of Amazon Lily. This 'Susanoo' of his proved all but impervious to even the strongest of their haki-embued arrows, the flame-clad ribcage warding them off as though they were mere mosqitoes trying to bite at a giant. And if that hadn't been bad enough...he'd taken a hostage!

_Her!_

Now they were hurtling upward at a breakneck pace, her body clutched flushagainst his chest. She could feel his pulse racing against her skin, the steady _thump-thump-thump_ sending silent shivers down her spine. Her own was probably doing backflips. He raced toward the edge of the village; to the edge of the cliff. A snake of dread coiled in her gut.

She fought back, but to no avail; any attempt on her part to stab the man with the knife was met with a scrapping sound from the ethereal ribcage surrounding him. Any attempt to attack the ribcage itself resulted in a burn on her arms and shoulders. But it would take more than pain to stop Margaret. Much more. Still, this heat...it was as if the man were a part of Hell, itself ! He was infinitely warm to the touch, his heart hammering against her ears, strong and powerful; arms encircling her like a noose, holding her tight, her body joined with his...

A spool of warmth spread between her legs.

_No!_ She ridiculed herself. _He's a man! An enemy! I cannot allow myself to feel such things!_

"Hang on!"

"Nani?" Margaret squeaked out as the ground fell away beneath their feet, leaving them standing out over empty air. For a moment they merely hung there, dangling between life and death. Then gravity sank its claws into them and down they went.

Naruto laughed; _laughed_ as they fell past the ridge, plummeting toward the treeline below. Margaret wailed in despair. Was he truly so intent on death that he would try to take her with him? "No!" She cried! "Wait! _Stoooop!"_ She was still screaming when the man spread his wings. Wait, wings? _Wings?_ Yes, wings! Margaret gawped as blazing appendages of black flame erupted out from his back and shoulders burgeoning them, slowing their fall. They beat but once and their descent came to a crawl, leaving them to drift harmlesly toward the jungle below.

Slowly, her screams died away, trailing off into wonderment. They weren't going to die after all!

A stray breeze gusted up to greet them

"Nice, isn't it?" Naruto grinned.

Margaret fought the urge to gawp at him, her cheeks burning a shameful pink as she beheld the man. He looked like an avenging angel; his back coated in black flames, grim blue eyes peering down at her intently with concern as he awaited her answer. She couldn't bear to meet his gaze for more than a few seconds, turning hers away

"Y-Yes."

They landed gently in the jungle below, alighting effortlessly upon a log. Naruto released his hold upon the black flames that were his wings, leaving them to dissipate harmlessly into the atmosphere. He did not release his hold upon Margaret. With one hand he reached past her, removing the cloak from her shoulders. She could've struck him then; could have lashed out, protested, could have done something, anything at all. Instead, she found herself paralyzed, felt her face burn anew. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she bring herself to harm him?

"W-What are you doing?" she whispered.

The man's face contorted in a pained expression as he smoothed her white cape across a low bush.

"Checking for burns." he muttered. "Can't be too careful after using my powers like that...?" He paused, and finally noticed how miserable Margaret looked. He visibly resisted the urge to sigh. "Look, I apologize for just grabbing you out of the blue back there. It was probably pretty scary, huh?"

_Scary?_

Margaret felt her eyes immediately snap to the "fearsome" man. _Scary_ didn't even begin to cover it. She'd been terrified! And yet somehow, his apology mollified her temper. Looking at him now, tending to her wounds with gentle conern, she could barely bring herself to reconcile him with the burning demon that had possessed him moments before.

"Ow!" She whimpered as he touched sore spot on her cheek.

"Sh!" Naruto shushed her. "You've been burned by my _hellfire,_ although it was only a tiny bit. If I don't find and treat the burns within twenty-four hours you'll smolder from the inside out and die of asphxyiation." Even as he spoke Margaret bristled; she could feel the skin of her cheek mendig, the flesh molding seamlessly around the injury. It was as if the burn had never been there to begin with. How...could have done such a thing?Her lips pursed in confusion unbidden, a question flying from her lips.

"But how-

"Don't ask." His sapphire gaze flicked toward her for a second. "It's too troublesome to explain."

Margaret sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She was no match for this man. She owed him now, not only her safety but her life as well.

"I'm sorry I shot at you."

Naruto closed his eyes, suddenly feeling very tired. "Don't worry about it. I forgive ya." There was an awkward silence as he treated her injuries. Margaret fought the urge to squirm away from him when he touched his hands to her shoulders; resisted the urge to cry out as his fingers mended the burns of her flesh. For a man he was actually rather...skilled when it came to tending wounds, she realized. His hands moved deftly, swiftly seeking out her injuries and tending to them in a matter of minutes. His expression however, remained stoic.

"You know...its funny."

"What is?"

Naruto chuckled.

"I seriously doubt your friends will be willing to let me off the island after this."

Margaret almost laughed before she realized the seriousness of the situation.

"I'm sure they'll understand if you just explain yourself to them."

Naruto seemed to latch onto that small hope, as Margaret thought he might, and nodded, pursing his lips as if to keep himself from speaking further. Whether the others forgave him or not was none of her concern, but at least her words would pacify him for the time being. There was no sense in exacerbating his suffering. Her thoughts changed however, as she glanced up, gazing up the heights from which they had fallen. Such a falll would've killed a lesser man!

"Still...to just jump down from that height...you're crazy!"

The blond grinned and stuck out his tongue.

"Hehehe...a little bit, yeah."

"I'm serious! I was ready to die for a minute there!" she exclaimed! "I've heard that you "men" carry all kinds of viruses but this...this is insane! Do all men burst into fire and fly like that?!"

"First, no, we don't carry all kinds of viruses. Second...ah, its too troublesome to explain, so I guess you can say that men can burst into flame-THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT!" Naruto slapped himself for forgetting. "Look, just check in the pocket of my old trousers. There should be some sort of card in there, ya know?"

"You mean this?" Margaret extracted a slip of paper from her bra. Idly, she noticed the man's nose had begun to bleed. Had she hurt him then, after all? "Ano...you're bleeding!"

Naruto promptly scrubbed at his nose with the back of a hand.

"That's it!" He exclaimed, lunging forward to clasp her hands at the sight of his father's vivre card. "You're the best! Thanks for keeping it safe!"

Margaret scarcely heard him; she was far too focused on the sensation of the man's hands in hers. She'd gotten a cursory glance at them earlier but to actually feel them, to hold them, was another matter entirely. She found herself intertwining their fingers just to see what it felt like. She felt something twist inside her when he finally took his hands away.

"Well it looked like it had something written on it, so...what is it?"

"Watch." Naruto opened his hand, allowing the card to inch forward.

"How mysterious, it seems to move...

"Yeah, a lot of stuff happened, and I got sent flying; all because of that damn strawhat."

"Strawhat?"

"It's...a long story." Naruto laid himself down up a nearby long and glanced at the vivre card again, as though that speck of paper would somehow try and flee outside his grasp. "But I have this, so I should be able to make my way home. _Heh."_ An abrupt smile, graced his whiskered cheeks. "I guess I owe ya a favor when this is all said and done. You want anything?" Margaret thought about his offer for what felt like an eternity. A favor, huh? What she _wanted_ was for this nightmare to be over and done with, but since she doubted _that_ would happen anytime soon...

"Could you...hold my hand again?"

"Seriously?" Naruto arched an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm not a pirate so...sure." He reached across for her, threading his fingers within his own. "If that's what you want, then fine."This time when the man took her hand, Margaret's knees nearly turned to jelly. A soundless gasp formed in the back of her throat. His hands were so...big! They made hers look tiny by comparison! And that way he was looking at her...with such intent! Butterflies fluttered deep in the the pit of her stomach; loosed themselves from her lips in the form of a small squeak. Oh dear kami! She wasn't thinking about that! _She wasn't!_

"You mean you're not a pirate?" Margaret made the mistake of speaking just then and it was a mistake. A terrible horrible mistake; because Naruto jerked his hand back as if he'd been _burned, _his expression firece, his sapphire orbs flashing a cruel crimson. Something unfamiliar twisted in the amazon's stomach, an emotion she hadn't felt since she was a little girl. _Fear._ Gone was the gentle man who'd tended her wounds, in his place stood an avenging angel with a passion for vengeance. Her wounds began to ache anew beneath that burning gaze.

"No, and I never will be! I _hate_ pirates!" his eyes narrowed, boring into her like a drill. "You're not one, are you?"

"And if I told you I was?" she replied, testing him.

"Then you would be lying." His gaze never left hers for a moment, even as her doe-brown orbs widened with disbelief. "My _kaa-san_ taught me well; I always know when someone's trying to decieve me." Naruto exhaled sharply on a sudden, shoulders sagging as though he'd been relieved of a great burden. "Still...its good to know you aren't one. I've had enough trouble with pirates to last me a lifetime!" His good mood returned with a vengeance as though it had never left; the cold, calculating crimson leeching from his blue orbs until they were the color of the sea once more.

"The empress of this land is a pirate, though." Margaret pointed out.

"I fail to see how that is my concern." he remained undettered. After a moment his scorn softened and he asked, "Is she strong?"

"A foolish question indeed! Margaret felt her chest swell with pride at the inquiry. "Only the very best of the island's warriors sail aboard the pirate ship. Of course they're strong! Why, everyone in this land looks up to Hebihime-sama. She's powerful, wonderful, and the most beautiful woman in the world! The pirate empress, Boa Hancock! Our island is defended by her and her younger sisters...

"Pretty bold claim there." Naruto shrugged. "But like I said, its not my concern." Shaking himself, he rose to his feet. "Well, I've wasted enough time here, I think."

"W-Where are you going?"

"Home, obviously." He waved. "I can't relax until I know my old man is alright."

"You really are restless, aren't you?"

"As long as he survived, that's fine." Naruto resolved, clenching his fingers into a fist. "As long as he's alive...he can still stand up again. And if he can't stand, then I'll do it for him! I don't care how strong the opponent is or how many there are...I'll kick their asses from here to Mariejoa if I have to! I'll fight-fight to protect my family-time and time again!"

Margaret felt her respect for the "man" climb another notch higher. He clearly had something to fight for.

"You truly think you can do this?"

"Of course!" He thumped a fist to his chest and fixed her with fierce grin. "So long as I bear my father's surname _'Silvers'_ I'll never give up what's precious to me, even if I have to lay down my life for it! That's the way, the life, I've sworn to live!"

"You're strange."

Naruto's grin grew and his eyes squinted, the expression making him look almost fox-like.

"I prefer the term _unique,_ ya know?"

Without another word, he departed, leaving her to stare at his broad back as he receded into the distance. Strong and sure, his legs carried him away from her, his stride serving to put more and more distance between the two of them with each passing second. He carried a heavy burden, and yet, he bore it with pride and confidence. Confidence she herself lacked. She couldn't help but find his resolve...admirable, in a way. Admirable that he would gladly face so many opponents to protect what he cared for and give up his life without a second thought.

"Men are unbelievable." Margaret marveled at him as he walked away. "They can grow wings and set themselves on fire. They have a flat chest and in between their legs...

"Oh!" She blinked in surprise. "I almost forgot! You there! Man! Wait!"

"Hmm?" Naruto turned, curiously regarding her over over his shoulder.

"There's something I forgot to tell you...

* * *

><p>"You don't have any ships?!" Naruto gawped in disbelief. "This is the Calm Belt?!"<p>

"That's right." Margaret replied.

Although she was kind and courteous enough to inform him of were they were, and the fact that the Calm Belt was infested with giant sea kings, Margaret couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible as she watched his expression plummet. Was it so wrong that she suddenly wanted to kiss that adorable pout of his away? Of course it was wrong! Very wrong! Horribly wrong! _Iie!_ She cursed herself, with a shake of the head. _I must stay strong! I cannot give this matter another thought! I cannot! _

Naruto meanwhile, was pacing thoughtfully.

"Maybe I should just make a raft...

"Idiot!" She exclaimed in disbelief. "You'll die!"

"Oh?" The Dark Prince paused in his pacing and fixed her with an expectant stare. "I was under the impression you didn't care whether I lived or died; that I was causing trouble for ya."

_"I'm_ the one who's in trouble here." She retorted, tearing her gaze away. "If you ran away there _wouldn't_ be any trouble. I can't keep being friendly with you or I could get attached."

_Too late for that!_ A small part of her whispered. _You want him._ _You want his hands on you, you want him over top you, you want inside you..._

She shrieked at it and it retreated into a corner, cowering. No! She was not attracted to him! She. Was. Not! There was no possible way! Even if he was handsome, strong, kind and oh so gentle...she couldn't be! There was just no way! She couldn't possibly be...falling for...

"There they are!"

Naruto spat a curse, dragging Margaret from her reverie just in time to spot Kikyou and several warriors racing in their direction, Sweetpea and Aphelandra amongst them.

"Shit, already?!" He snarled in disbelief. "They're a persistent bunch!" She watched him ready himself, knew those terrible black flames were about to erupt from his hands at any second. She knew now what they could do, the kind of damage they could wreak if left unchecked. And he was about to unleash them on her family and friends. She had to do something, had to say something before it was too late!

"Leave." Margaret whispered. "I...won't chase you anymore."

Naruto blinked, brought up short by her words.

"Ha?"

"I SAID LEAVE!" Before she could think to stop herself she loosed an arrow at him, the deadly missile whisking past to open a thin slice in his cheek. Naruto smiled, and that smile hurt her more than anything else. With a sudden riposte he stood before her, slapping the bow from her hands, driving her to the ground. She didn't even have time to struggle; she could only shiver as his lips brushed the outer lobe of her ear, whispering to her a simple phrase that would indelliby scar her pscyhe and shape her perception of him forevermore.

_"You're not so bad, Margaret-chan."_

And then he was gone, vanishing into the treetops in a blur of scarlet and sapphire. Kikyou flung an arrow after him but it was lost in the leaves. Margaret said nothing, knowing now that she couldn't possibly bring her hand to harm this man. She just couldn't. She was dimly aware of Sweetpea and Aphelandra landing beside her, speaking to her, fussing over her, making sure she was alright. Hebihime-sama had returned, they were quick to inform her; they needed to kill the man quickly.

Margaret merely stood there trembling.

_Idiot...!_

* * *

><p>Naruto laughed softly to himself as he skidded to a halt atop the ramparts, dodging the occasional arrow that drew near, leaving them to fall back to earth succumb to gravity. That Margaret girl wasn't all that bad. For a woman. Her 'friends', however, had proved to be another matter. Not only did they refuse to listen to him, but they seemed hellbent on his capturedeath. They'd thus far refuted any, and _all_ attempts for explanation and even chased him back into the city! He'd had to run straight up a sheer cliff face just to get back up here and away from them! You'd be amazed what a bit of haki could do to for your reflexes. And then...

...there were these indefatigable snakes fastened onto his arms and legs! The damn things had held on for deat life despite all attempts to extract them.

Well, Naruto decided, that was about to change!

"Ora!" He snarled, his fingers closing around the neck of the first and third serpents. "Looks like I'm having snake for supper!" Despite his declaration he charred them without a second thought, turning the reptiles to ash beneath his hands and thereby depriving the kuja of their bows. The remaining snakes released him with a startled hiss, plummeting to forest below. Naruto watched them fall to their doom and resisted the urges to simply scorch the surrounding jungle around them and rid himself of pursuit altogether. Hell, he could've destroyed the entire island had he desired it so!

Now, the only thing that stayed his hand was Margaret. She was probably still down there somewhere.

"Now what do I do?" he wondered aloud. "Better hurry before they find me again...that's it!" The proverbial light bulb went off above his head. "They have a pirate ship, don't they?! I'll use that! Hopefully they'll let me on...whoa!" His words ended in a sharp cry of surprise as an arrow whisked past his face. His bare feet were unable to compensate and his footing gave way, sending him tumbling towards the village below. He collided solidly with a rooftop, and for a moment, dared to hope his perch would hold.

It did not.

_"Aaargh!"_ The dark prince snarled as his footing betrayed him for the upteenth time, leaving him to plummet to his doom. "Why does this always happen?!" Twisting toward whatever awaited him below, the blond gave a mighty grunt and extended his legs to absorb the impact of his landing.

He landed amidst shallow water. Fog scrawled around him, obscurring his vision in the gloom.

"Where the hell am I?" he wondered aloud.

_"?!"_

A harsh splash drew his attention deeper into the bath. There! Something or someone, was moving in the gloom.

"Who goes there?!"

"Uh-oh." Naruto edged backwards, but there was nowhere to go, nowhere for him to run within the heady atmosphere of the bath. He stood there, petrified, as a shadow appeared in the gloom, gradually taking shape and form. _Don't tell me that's..._

When she emerged on a thick cloud of steam, Naruto couldn't help himself. He gawped at her. Alabaster pale skin seemed to shimmer in the lights of the bath, drawing his eyes to her body. Large breasts were barely concealed by the curve of her arm, her waist diping to reveal perfectly flared hips. And kami, those mile-long legs! Sputtering, he tore his face from her body and dared to look her in the eye, an apology already upon his lips. It died, the moment he saw her face. Her hair was wet and slicked back, the strands like glistening ebony silk. The style left her face bare, nothing hiding those uplifted, crystalline eyes, those sharp cheeks or those heart-shaped lips. Adorable, was his first thought. Actually, _adorable _was not the right word. She was beauty personified.

"A man!" She hissed in surprise, a surprise surely mirrored upon his own face.

But on her back...what was that? Naruto felt his blood turn to ice water. That mark..._there_ was something he'd never hoped to see again. And yet here it was, standing out on her back for him to see. A ghastly looking hoof; the symbol of the hated Tenrybito, otherwise known as the Celestial Dragons. The mark given to all those forced to serve them. The mark...of a slave. He knew it well, more so than he cared to admit. But to see it here...it sent a cold jolt of pain through his mind.

"Say...that mark..."

The woman blanched; at his words a look of indescripable fury crossed the womans visage. She sank into the bath, covering her body with a hiss.

"You saw it?!"

The sound of pounding footsteps ended whatever else he might've said.

"Sister!" Two large women burst through the doors, "What on earth is going on?!" Naruto took a hesitant step backwards at the sight of the pair. Sister? Oi oi...he was getting a very bad feeling about this! These three, they couldn't possibly be the ones Margaret had mentioned...could they?

"Who is that? the larger of the two-a strawberry blonde-demanded hotly.

"A man?!" gasped the second, a long tongue flitting between her thin lips.

"What's a man doing in this kingdom?" demanded the first as she robed the raven-haired woman. "What exactly happened here?

"Ah...well...

"He saw my back." Hancock hissed.

Her sisters bristled, weapons drawn in an instant.

"Then the only solution is to kill him, right?"

Anger welled up through the cracks in Naruto's psyche, smothering his desire in more immediate exasperation. Why on earth did everyone want him dead?! There was a connection here somewhere, one he struggled to make whilst his mind processed the information.

"The thing you have seen on my back...is something we don't want revealed even if we die!" Naruto stiffened as she raised her arms, thrusting both hands forward in the shape of a heart. That ability...oh lovely! She'd eaten a devil fruit! She was a fruit user! "Take everything you have seen here to your grave!"

_"Merro Merro Mellow!"_

The Dark Prince suppressed his immediate desire to move; willed himself to stand his ground. To stand strong as a heart-shaped beam struck him, passed him, phased through him. He braced himself as a faint tingling erupted across his skin, his ire flaring at being caught in such an obvious trap. He stood stock still as the wave rippled past...

...leaving him unharmed?

"Um...

"Merro Merro Mellow!" the woman cried again, only to be met with the same effect. Naruto frowned, likewise baffled.

_"Ara?"_

"Why don't you turn into stone?!" the woman_-whom he strongly suspected to be Boa Hancock-_gasped in disbelief. "Didn't you feel anything wicked in your heart after you saw me naked in the bath?!" Naruto opened his mouth to reply-

"That's ridiculous, sister!" Marigold exclaimed! "The beauty of your naked body is at a level that could never fail to capture anybody, regardless of their age or gender!"

-aaaaand found himself drowned out.

"It's probably his fear of death," Sandersonia hissed angrily, "that's suppressing his wicked desires! He's pathetic, but he's a lucky man."

If they expected Naruto to turn tail and run, they were going to be dissapointed, severely so. Naruto cracked his knuckles slowly, savoring each joint as it popped into place. He was tired of running. Doing so now would only exacerbate the situation, he realized. Anyone else would've thrown caution to the wind and leapt out the window. But he knew now there was only one way off this island. And that was Hebihime's ship. Without the aid of that vessel, he'd just become a snack for the Sea Kings. Something he had no intention of becoming.

"So?" He sighed. "I take it you're going to try and kill me, now, Hebihime-sama?"

The woman bristled.

"How did you-

"Oh please, how could I not?" Naruto raised a hand and to their disbelief began counting off on all his fingers. "Lets see here: judging by the way you hold yourself, you're obviously in charge here, or at the very least accustomed to getting your way around the island, Hancock. Mind if I call you Hancock? No? Too bad. Now, I know a great deal about that mark on your back-the one you're so anxious to hide-more than you think. It just so happens to be the mark of those damned Tenryuubito, the Celestial Dragons, which means you were at once point, a slave. And I'm willing to be your sisters were as well. How do I know, you ask? Well, I don't much feel like telling you that.

And from what your _darling_ siblings just said, you're obviously intending to execute me_-regardless of what I say or do-_in a grand spectacular fashion for all the island to see, so that you might make an example of me and further endear yourself to the populace. Knowing your flair for dramatics, it'll probably be in an arena or something. How am I doing so far, ya know?"

There was a silence.

Hancock glared bloody red daggers at him. A muscle jumped in her jaw, throbbing alongside the veings in her temple. She shifted her weight, took a small step forward, then back. For a moment he thought she would actually attack him; rip his head clear off the shoulders burn his body, and fling his ashes into the ocean. But she did not. As he looked on her volcanic temper frosted over into antartic ice. A cold, cruel smile pulled up at the edges of her lips as she composed herself, drawing tight the hem of her robe.

"So you intend to fight us, then?"

"Nope." Naruto shook his head and offered his wrists, smiling softly.

"I surrender."

_"What?"_

"Go ahead," he waved his hands, _"_Take me to this arena of yours. Try to execute me. I guarantee you'll fail. And when you do, I'll be taking that ship of yours, with or without you on it." He let the threat hang between the two of them an unspoken challenge for Hancock, and Hancock alone. The longer they looked at one another, the more riled Naruto allowed himself to become. If there was one thing he could not_-would not-_stand, it was arrogance. These women, respected strength? Well then, he would show them strength. He'd show them such strength that they'd be kissing his feet before the evening!

"Take him." Hancock all but bit out, her words cutting across the expanse between them like a knife. Naruto didn't so much as bat an eyelash when the steel serpents coiled about his body, binding his arms to his sides, restraining all attempts at movment. Steel melted easily. He let them take his blade. He could take it back just as easily. He allowed himself to be led from the bath by Hancock and her siblings, knowing that he couldve escaped at any moment, yet chose not to.

He let them; let them lead him outside.

"We have captured the man!" Hancock addressed the concerned citizens once they reached the outdoors, parading him through the streets as though he were a piece of meat. Naruto allowed it.

Naruto let them; because he was smiling all the while.

"Just you wait, Hebihime-sama...

* * *

><p>Margaret couldn't believe it.<p>

Naruto had been _captured._ He sat in the center of the arena, calm and unperturbed, depsite the women baying for his blood. Utterly unfazed. Was he truly confident, of the outcome? Perhaps. Or, perhaps not, as the masses cheered for the arrival of Hebihime-sama and her sisters. Hancock laid herself upon her snake, coiled back like a dais, flanked by her siblings. Her very posture bespoke of complete and utter ease, lending no hint to the emotion turmoil boiling within.

"Now then, let me ask you, man. How, and for what purpose, did you come to this island?"

Naruto laughed.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told ya, so why bother?" he shrugged against the confines of his bond. "Alright, fine. You got me. I flew through the sky to get here. Satisfied?"

"Liar." Hancock's expression reflected nothing but impassive scorn. "You can't fool us with a ridiculous story like that. You must have a purpose for coming here." They both knew what that purpose was, but she needed to keep up the pretense that _he_ was the guilty party here, not her; maintain the illusion that she, the empress, was the one doting out justice.

"My purpose?" Naruto shouted back at her. "Well, since you put it so bluntly," His lips quirked in a small smile. "I need a ship! And since yours is the only one avaiable, I'd really appreciate a ride, ya know?" Ha! Let the spoiled princess chew on _that!_ His only purpose here was her ship! Nothing more, nothing less!

At his words, Hancock bristled, just as the stadium exploded into outrage around her ears. This man...this man dared mock her! He had to be exterminated, at all costs!

"He's giving false statements!"

"Whatever that man said are obviously lies, just as Hebihime-sama said!"

"He's definitely hiding something!"

"Do you think you can fool us?!"

Margaret heard all these words and her heart lurched. Unbidden a memory surfaced.

_"As long as he survived, that's fine." Naruto resolved, clenching his fingers into a fist. "As long as he's alive...he can still stand up again. And if he can't stand, then I'll do it for him! I don't care how strong the opponent is or how many there are...I'll kick their asses from here to Mariejoa if I have to! I'll fight-fight to protect my family-time and time again! __So long as I bear my father's surname 'Silvers'_ _I'll never give up what's precious to me, even if I have to lay down my life for it! That's the way, the life, I've sworn to live!"_

"Don't think that you will leave here alive." Hancock continued, unaware of the blonde's emotions. "You won't be able to escape from death!"

"Please wait, Hebihime-sama!"

Margaret froze, realizing she'd bolted to her feet; having called out in a desperate bid to stay Hebihime-sama's hand. Murmurs of shock and surprise rippled from those in the stands beside and around her; she was just as surprised as they were. Despite her best efforts, she hadn't been able to keep quiet.

She leapt from her perch, effortlessly alighting in the arena.

"H-He isn't the kind of person who would lie!"

"What are you doing?!" Naruto hissed. "I have the situation under control!"

Did he? Margaret didn't think so.

"What he said is all true...I don't think he has bad intentions for this kingdom at all!"

"Are you one of the guards of this kingdom?"

Naruto hissed a warning at Hancock's words, but still Margaret continued.

"H-Hai!"

"The punishment of the crime of intruding into this kingdom, which is forbidden to men, is death. Why are you defending him?"

"I feel responsible." Margaret had to choke the words out, her throat was growing thick with fear. "The one who brought that man here...was me!" In the ensuing silence that followed, Naruto made a squelching sound that sounded a great like "idiot!" to her ears. Where it not for the sudden sound of footfalls, she might've stuttered on still. Imagine her surprise when Sweetpea and Aphelandra flung themselves to the floor, both their heads scraping the tiles in subservience.

"Hebihime-sama!" Sweetpea cried. "The saga of "there's a reason for that!"

"That's right!" Aphelandra insisted. "We just thought the others might want to see him...

"We are just as responsible as her for the sin of bringing him here!"

"The saga of "exactly!"

"Stop it you two! The one who said we should bring him to the village was me!"

"But I was the one who shot the arrow!"

"And I-

"Will you cut it out, the three of you?!" Naruto snapped, silencing them with a snarl. "I had this situation perfectly under control until you came barging in! They were going to let me fight to begin with! Now youve gone and screwed yourselves over for nothing!"

"But-

Hancock uncrossed her legs and rose from her serpentine cushion. Her heels rose sharply against the stones, producing a harsh _click-click-click_ with her slow but inevitable descent. Margaret prostrated herself upon the floor, knees locked, head bowed. Naruto felt his voice stick in his throat. She would go this far for him? Foolish girl!

"That's enough." she tugged her visage upward with a finger. "Raise your head, honest Margaret. I like honest people. Tell me, do you want me to forgive you?"

"H-Hai...

"Stand up."

She pushed a hand through her own raven locks and for a moment-just a moment-Naruto thought she might actually forgive the three of them. Then she raised her arms in that familiar stance, her gaze colder than the coldest night, and his blood turned to ice water in his veins.

"Don't!"

_"Merro Merro Mellow!"_

Margaret and the others could only gasp in surprise as the heart-shaped beam washed over their bodies, and as Naruto looked on, before his very eyes, they turned to stone. Warm flesh was replaced by cold rock; eyes of doe brown fading to that of slate grey as their muscles became stiff, their bodies set and unyielding. Naruto felt his heart twist inside his chest as he beheld their horrified expressions forever frozen in terorr. Hancock had done this out of pure spite; a dig playing to her own arrogance. And for what? Just to anger him? Well, it had worked!

"Hancock." he called out to her. "Hancock!"

She kept walking.

"Don't think I'll let this stand." he growled. "They helped me!"

The empress paused, just for a moment.

"Yes, they have been punished for helping you." Without another word she finished her ascent, settling onto her serpentine throne once more. There was an instant of silence as she regarded him with those cold unkind black orbs, daring him to reply. When he did not, a small smile danced at the edge of her lips. "Bring Bacura to the arena." She commanded, reclining before the whole of her populace. "This place, is the kingdom of the warriors, Amazon Lily. Where if you are powerful, you are beautiful. You will die fighting, man. We, shall watch."

A low growl reverberated behind him. He didn't have to look to know what was there. He already knew. A massive panther easily three times his length and thrice as large towered over him, bearing great glinting eyes of cruel crimson.

"That black panther's name is Bacura." Hancock took great pleasure in explaining, her voice briefly piercing the insatiable din of the crowd. "It is a carnivorous animal that was used as an executioner by the empress of this kingdom for many generations." Naruto cringed as it loomed over him, salivating. What bad breath it had! "Once the execution is done, not a single bone of his victim will remain." A shiver of anger and anticipation joldtd off Naruto's back, coursing down his spine.

_They were your comrades..._

"Bacura seems to be extremely hungry today, doesn't it?" Hancock sneered.

_And you..._

"Yes it is, sister." Marigold agreed. "Because it hasn't been fed in awhile."

_...you heartless bitch!_

"Be grateful, man!" Sandersonia cackled. "Even if its a small and thin monkey like you, Bacura will eat it with pleasure!"

"Aside from that," Naruto stood slowly, woodenly, not taking enough care. Uncaring, as the steel snakes unwound themselves from his limbs and chest. He caught his sword when it was tossed him, unsheathing it in a liquid movement so fiercely fluid, even the finest swordswomen of Amazon Lily couldn't help but swoon. "What's going to happen to these ladies?" He indicated the stone statues behind him. He couldn't possisbly wield his true power with innocents so nearby.

An angry roar of dissatisfaction erupted from the crowd.

_"What a disrespectful wa of speaking to Hebihime-sama!"_

_"Go finish him Bacura!"_

"Bacura!" Hancock commanded!

_"GO!"_ howled the entire populace of Amazon Lily!

With a roar of hunger, the black beast pounced, its slavering jaw gaping wide for its first meal in nearly a decade. Naruto didnt even bother to turn. His crimson katana seemed to glitter in the afternoon light, wreathed with an otherwordly radiance.

_"Hitotsume,"_ he breathed, bringing his blade up behind his back. _"Nadegiri." **(The First: Killing Stroke)**_

And then the beast was past him, its jaws snapping shut on empty air, its claws sweeping through nothingness, paws slamming into the tiled floor. Hancock frowned. Had Bacura missed? No, that was impossible. Surely the man had done something. He must have for he stood there, unharmed and unscathed. Indeed, Naruto said nothing as he straightened; slowly sheathing his sword, the weapon sliding into its home, with the lightest of ease. There wasn't a mark to be seen upon him.

Undettered by its failure, Bacura began to turn, attempting to come about for another pass at its prey-

_Ba-dump._

With a wet squish, its severed halves collapsed to to the floor in an ever-growing puddle of blood. Blood and gore spattered across Naruto's scowling face, making his terrifying expression all the more hellish. He spun in a vicious circle, rounding on the laughing ladies with a furious snarl.

"There's something wrong with all of you..." Naruto hissed as his bloodied blade dissapeared within its sheathe, thumbing the hilt of his sword. "Even after your comrades have been turned to stone by that woman, why are you still laughing so childishly?!"

A chorus of boos shouted him down.

_"The savage is actually shouting at us!"_

_"Unbelievable! It killed Bacura! What a fierce animal!"_

Screams of shock and horror rose around him at the death of their precious panther; The women simply could not believe their eyes! Never before had anyone escaped the executioner, and here, this one had done just that and more. The fearsome _man _had bifurcated Bacura with but a single swing of its blade! And still, they professed no pity for their frozen comrades. It made Naruto's blood boil! So this then was how pirates treated their nakama?! Casting them aside like so much refuse?!

_"We feel sorry for those three, but what Hebihime-sama did wasn't wrong! They have broken the laws of the kingdom! The ones at fault are them!"_

"No matter what I may do," Once more, Hancock's regal voice pierced the veil of sound, "I will always be forgiven. Why you ask? It is because I am...beautiful!"

_"WAAAAH! Hebihime-sama!"_ Girlish squeals and giggles of adoration rose from the crowd, nearly deafening her next words, until Hancock raised a hand for silence. "Hmmm," She laughed softly, staring down at them, as if she were a great goddess and they her lowly servants. "And you too...you forgive me, do you not?" her lips curled in a cruel smile at Naruto.

**"!"**

Without word nor warning, the blonde's bloodied blade burst from its soaked sheate and slammed into the arena; emitting a loud crack as a section of the floor toppled away, plummeting into the spiked pit below. The audience stirred uneasily as he redirected his attention to the throne.

"Forgive you?" the Dark Prince raised his gaze to the pedestal; dumbfounded, furious and surprised all at once. "Forgive? You?" Hancock visibly started in surprise at what she saw there, lurking behind those blue eyes, waiting to strike. There. the expression that met her gaze was not one of kindness or infatuation as she'd expected, but rather...

Utter and abyssmal _loathing_.

_"You."_ He spat, raising a finger in a lone salute. "Why the _hell_ should I forgive _you_ for acting like the stuck up, spoiled, pompous little brat that you are?" Hancock stiffened slightly as his words took on a more profane, lilt but for another reason as well. "No!" He declared. "I do not forgive you! And I never will until you drop this "holier than thou" act of yours, ya whiny bitch! And just where the hell do you get off treating me like shit, huh?! I haven't seen _you_ come down here and fight me yet!"

"?!" Certainly she hadn't been expecting such an uprfront display of malice, he could see it in the way her eyes widened slightly, then threw herself back on her lavish cushion. She felt her chest heave with a dry sob of sheer surprise; this could not be! It could not! "This is simply...impossible! There cannot possibly exist a man immune to _my_ charms! No...its not possible! I cannot bear it!"

"Oh _come on!"_ Naruto spit at the floor, took a small step forward, jabbed a finger towards the whining princess, still in a fit over this unexpected rejection. "Stop throwing a tantrum! You're not a child anymore, so don't act like one, damnit!"

_"Execute him!" _The crowd shrieked!

"Marigold! Sandsersonia!"

Naruto craned his neck as the two sisters leapt into the arena, as though they could somehow shield their sister from the truth with their bodies alone. A slight difference. Another difference this time, the two held their ground and did not retreat. The Dark Prince eyed them warily, a predatory gleam entering his eye.

"Something I said?"

"Take his _head!"_ Boa shrieked, jabbing a finger at Naruto. "Kill him!" Slowly, the two sisters began to encircle him, their bodies shifting, warping, until they could no long be considered human. The Dark Prince found his lips quirking in a slight scowl as he found himself confronted by their true forms, neither that of a human nor a snake, but that of a naga; a human bearing a snake's body.

"Hmm, shall I drink all the fluid from his body?"

"Or perhaps strangle him to death?"

Naruto didn't answer, instead, he trapsed over to where Margaret and the others stood, still as stone. Careful as not to break them, the hellfire man wrapped both arms around each statue, then carefully set each down on the lower ring of the arena, where they'd hopefully be out of harms way in the coming fight.

"I'm so sorry." he whispered, setting each down with the utmost care. "Had I known this would happen I...I should've ended this at the beginning."

"Shouldn't you be more worried about yourself?" Sandersonia asked inquisitively.

Naruto straightened with a supreme effort; it took all he had not to burst into flames and rip the woman's throat out for that comment. Still seething, he leapt towards the railing, vaulted over it with all the grace of a gymnast. Slowly, purposefully, he stalked to where his sword still lay, tip thrust through the floor. With all the tenderness of an old lover his fingers closed around its black-clothed hilt, gently tugging it from the stone in a swirl of dust and debris.

"You two should give up." He warned, blue eyes flaring. "I...don't feel like holding back right now."

_"What did he just say?!"_

_"He thinks they can defeat the sisters!"_

_"Haha! He's funny! Men are funny!"_

"Oh, I'll show ya funny...

Naruto paid them no heed, slowly releasing the tentative hold he had upon his powers. With Margaret and the others safely out of harms way, there was no longer any need to hold back. And how long had it been since he'd let himself loose? Too long. The only one who'd ever seen his true strength firsthand was Rayleigh and even _he_ found this form somewhat tedious to tend with. Well that was about to chance. Amazon Lily would try to understand this sight for the next century, and still, they would never be able to make sense of it.

Black flames erupted beneath his skin, smoldering across his flesh like wildfire, sweeping him up in a veritable inferno. Still hotter the flames raged, melting the floor upon which he stood, igniting the air itself in sinister specks of darkness. Any hotter, and he would risk the safety of the crowd, of the island itself. But then again...they weren't his concern now, were they?

_Not at all._

With that thought, Naruto's eyes began to bleed.

_Come to me,_ he called, laughing as bone began to manifest around him, peeling back from his hellfire to summon the hulking figure of his invisible protector. _Come on. C'mon! Yes, that's it. I'm right here! Come! Come to me! To your master! COME!"_

Hancock's lips opened in a small oval of surprise as the air around the man began to sizzle and shimmer, exposing a creature straight out of the depths of her darkest nightmare. What...was that? Whatever it was, that man was responsible for its arrival, she felt it in her bones when its helmed head took her in at a glance, that sick, skeletal face peeling back in a gross macabre of a grin. Hancock shivered at the sight, and not entirely from fear, either.

**"SUSANOO!"**

Naruto straightened from his bowed crouch and the creature copied him, moving as a puppet might beneath masters strings. It brandished a sword and a gourd in one pair of malformed hands and a shield in the other, an ancient warrior called forth from its grave to do battle on the pupeteers behalf.

Susanoo gleamed before the Kuja in all its darkened glory, malevolent orbs of golden honey narrowing in scarcely concealed contempt. Muscle and sinew manifested from nothingness, taking the shape of long, willow-like arms ending in cruel claws crafted from the heart of the inferno itself. Naruto, a veritable god in his own right, reveled in the confusion of Amazon Lily; Marigold's horror, Sandersonia's' shock, and Hancock's utter awe at the sight of the demonic entity lurching over his shoulders. The crowd seemed to share their opinion.

_"What's that man doing?!"_

_"He's on fire!"_

_"How strange!"_

"Last chance." Naruto folded his arms, Susanoo mirroring the motion. "Give up and let me off this island. " He let some of his already considerable killer intent suffuse the words, watched them slam into the sisters like a physical force. He wasn't going to hold back. Not this time.

"Sister," Marigold gulped, "Perhaps we should listen-

"N-Nonsense!" Sandersonia sputtered. "Even if he does have an ability, he can't possibly defeat us!"

"Bet your life on it."

"Huh?"

With that, Naruto's temper-already at its boiling point-pitched over the edge.

_"I said, bet your life on it!"_ He thrust his sword at Marigold's face; Susanoo mimed the gesture with its black blade. Gasping, the snake-woman barely managed to block the blow, although she saved herself from almost certain death, her naginata burst into flames the moment their weapons made contact. Naruto pressed her relentlessly, forcing her to throw the naginata aside, lest she be burned by the flames. Still he struck back with sound and fury, driving her toward the edge, towards the pit-

_"Hebi Stick!"_

Naruto whirled and lowered an arm; Susanoo crossed one of its massives limb before him, warding off Sandersonia's tail with its impenetrable shield. He'd almost forgotten about her. Time to remedy that. Sucking in a deep breath, the blond raised two fingers before his face. Sonia's eyes bulged as a curtain of flame swelled before her vision.

_"Gokakkyu!"_ Naruto exhaled mightily, expelling a large fireball to singe the anaconda's hair before she could slither out of range. Several of the spectators screamed and scrambled out of the way as the great ball of fire swept past and slammed into the stands; charring the stone seats, incinerating those unlucky few unable to escape in time.

"Che!" The older sister scoffed. "That's an annoying ability you have there!"

"This?" Naruto chided, tossing his faithful guardian a warm glance. "Funny you should mention it. It's not mine, not originally. I have a friend to thank for this gift. _Itachi-san._ I'll never forget him, or what he taught me. He passed on a few years ago, but although he's gone, his spirit and thereby this ability lives on in me. Normally, I _can_ control its movements with my thoughts; but the big guy knows well enough to protect me on its own. You know, defense over offense? Unless I do this...

Slowly, he pressed his hands together. "Release!"

At first nothing happened. At first.

Then Susanoo screamed.

**"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"**

"What-?!"

The black demon barrled into the Boa sisters like a thing possessed, its clenched knuckles seizing into Marigold's face in one hand, Sonia's hair in another. Roaring, the demon plucked them off the ground, hoisted them up into the air and hung them there by the scruffs of their necks. Naruto savored their confusion for a moment; before an errant thought drove them face deep in the tiled floor. He held them there, willing his flames to leave them unharmed; untouched, as he delighted in their humiliation.

"Ararara," Naruto sneered, memories of his time as a slave boiling back to the surface. "What's this? I thought you were going to execute me?!" He tightened his grip, driving them deeper into the sudden silence as the whole of Amazon Lily looked on.

_Such strength!_ Hancock balked. Ability or not, for him to be able to subdue both her siblings at once was something of a mircale. Remarkable, even. However...he was underestimating her sisters.

"You're arrogance will be your undoing, man!" Marigold hissed at him.

"What're you-

Marigold turned her face aside and _spat;_ leaving Naruto just enough time to blink in surprise before a wad of congealed poison struck him in the face. He yelped in surprise, a cry of pain lurching from his lips. Susannoo immediately released its hold upon the sisters and rushed back to its master, but too late; Sonia's had already taken advantage of the tenuous opening. Her tail struck at the bewildered blond once, twice, thrice, taking the sword from his grasp and knocking him off balance.

"Repent for your crimes in hell, savage!"

Unable to defend himself, the blonde recoiled, falling back with every blow. The final strike sent him skittering over the edge until he was lost from sight. His body plunged into the pit without so much as a sound. There was a silence as everyone rushed to the rail, eager to see if the man had in fact perished.

"How laughable." Hancock sneered down at the pit, thinking her tormentor had at last fallen to his doom. "He was just a man, as I thought-

"Shut _up_." With an abrupt explosion of heat and flame Uzumaki Naruto reappeared, riding the wave up from the pit. He was almost entirely engulfed by his black flames; most of his face was missing, gone alongside that of his right arm. But even as the populace looked on those wounds slithered shut, sealed by black fire. He seemed to find footing where there was none, leaping upward on empty air, to the infinite dismay of the Kuja populace.

_"Gepo."_ He announced grimly. "Weren't expecting that, were ya ladies?"It was as if pulses of air came from beneath his feet hands, allowing him to hang in the air without effort; allowing him to land at the edge of the arena with little effort on his part." And, for the for the last time," He snapped over his shoulder, glaring at Hancock with such intensity that she actually froze; barely able to _breathe_ beneath the weight of his wrath. "I didn't ask for _your_ commentary."

_"He insulted Hebihime-sama again!"_

_"Hurry up and kill him!"_

"Sonia! Mary!" Boa cried, throwing her head back upon the pillow's, desperate to escape his penetrating gaze. She wanted him dead! She never wanted to look at him, she never wanted him to look at her, _ever again!_ "Make haste and end that man's life so I will never hear his disrespectful talk again!"

"Of course, sister." Sandersonia hissed, leaning up off her elbows, tail coiling about Margaret's statue. "Just give up and die, man! If you don't, I can't guarantee the safety of this statue...

Naruto scowled; hostage or no, he wouldn't allow these sisters to have her way.

"Put them down." he warned.

"Ara?" Sonia sneered, tossing Margare's petrified form up and down with her tail. "Are you _concerned_ for her?"

"Stop that!"

"I don't think so! I'm having too much fun!"

"Oi!"

Sandersonia might've been enjoying herself too much to notice this change in the blonde's temperment, but Marigold wasn't. She watched his hands fist at his sides, his Susanoo inexplicably stiffening alongside him as she looked on. A muscle jumped in the blondes jaw, throbbing eerily alongside the veins in his head. Those steely sapphire orbs snaped into slitted scarlet as she looked on, its irises narrowing to mere beads of crimson coldness. A knot of dread fisted in her stomach; just as a low growl tore itself out of Naruto's throat like a beast uncaged.

_**"I SAID PUT HER THE FUCK DOWN!"**_

Marigold bristled in awe; gawping as a silent ripple passed over the stands like a breeze. Hancock felt it as well, felt it slam into her, blow her hair back. And still it spread, seeping far into the stands, sensed and felt by all. Women and warriors alike gasped, mouths hanging agape as the unstoppable will of Silvers D. Naruto washed over them like a wave; suffusing their very souls with terror. Someoe collapsed. Then another. Another pitched forward. And still another. One by one, it happened. Those who could not endure his will simply slumped over, foaming at the mouths. In short order half the stadium was rendered unconcsious.

_"Kyaaaaah!"_ The remaining amazons yelped!

_"That was the King's willpower!"_ someone cried.

_"That's a joke, right? Only one in a million people is capable of using the haki of the chosen ones!"_

"I haven't seen anybody who can use it, aside from our sister!" Sandersonia marveled silently, lowering Margaret to the arena floor. Scarce had she done so than Naruto reached forward to retrieve her, Susanoo's large hand closing around her frozen form, hoisting her body over the rail to safety. It was the perfect opportunity to attack; but she could barely bring herself to breathe, let alone think of offensive action. She couldn't help herself; she felt _fear_; outright terror as she peered into those cold crimson eyes.

"This man has the quality of a king, capable of standing above all others!" Marigold was in awe. One look at that defiant visage told her all; this man had full control of his haki! He wasn't a mere interloper with reckless enthusiasm; he was a hardened warrior, trained in the art of combat. Even without his devil fruit power, he would've made for a formidable opponent. _With_ those powers...

Hancock bit her thumb. "He has the King's haki, just as I do...what's going on? Isn't he just an ordinary kid?"

_"Who on earth is that man?!"_

Naruto laughed.

"I take it you felt that little bit of haki just now, eh?" He chortled softly to himself as he pushed a hand through his hair, the ragged mess mussig even further at his touch. "As to who I am...nah, I don't feel like telling ya that after what you just did. In fact," He scowled, "I feel like kicking your asses all over again." Steam sizzled from his shoulders and back, joining with the foul flames of the Susanoo. The throng of warriors held on to their breath in eager anticipation; they had no way of knowing just how badly frightened the Boa sisters were.

"What are you waiting for?!" Hancock demanded at her sisters! "You have nothing to fear from that man, or his haki!"

"That's where you'd be wrong." Naruto extended his hand; his sword lurched where it lay and flew to his awaiting palm. "You have a great deal to fear from me and my...haki." With a flick of the wrist, he positioned the blade toward the Boa sisters, its serrated edge gleaming hungrily in the afternoon. "Hancock!" He called up to her. "I don't know whether you've got a beef with men or if its just me, and to be honest, I don't really care one way or the other. However!" And here he did pause, "I've been beaten, poked, bitten, stabbed, and shot at today, and I'm out paitience! I hope you've prepared yourself; because I'm about to wipe that smug smirk right off your pretty little face! Starting with your sisters!"

_"Armament,"_ he declared, thrusting a fist for the sky. _"Hardening!"_ His skin blackened and vulcanized in an instant, likening to the hellish flames rising from his body. Susanoo loosed a ghastly wail, chilling the hearts of spectator and combatant alike as its master stood up to his full height. The flames of hell roared high on his skin, coating his arms, his legs, every inch of him. In a sudden movement he'd sheathed his sword, drawing a host of gasps from those remaining concsious.

_"He's going to fight them barehanded?!"_

_"Foolish man!"_

Naruto scoffed at their scorn. Let them believe what they wanted.

"Gonna borrow a page or two from your playbook here, Luffy." He muttered to himself, drawing both arms back, sighting down a stunned Sandersonia. "Hope ya don't mind." Steeling himself, he surged forward. _"Goka Goka no..._

_...Gattling!"_

Sonia might've laughed upon realizing the Dark Prince was actually mimicking someone, were she not in so much pain. As it were she found herself stunned, her Observation Haki utterly useless as dozens upon dozens of flaming fists_-Naruto's and those of Susanoo-_slammed into her stomach, battering her body, boiling her flesh, covering her stomach with small burns. The flames did not spread, rather they burned slowly, prolonging each and every instant of agony. It was like sitting on a bed of hot coals...no, it was worse than that! As though she'd plunged into the depths of an active volcano! As if she were surrounded by lava! She couldn't take it! Couldn't endure it!

"Stop! She cried! "Please, make it stop!"

"Ora!" Naruto's elbow was more than happy to comply; smashing into Sonia's face, driving her down to the floor, stunning her. Had she a nose in this form, he would've broken it. As it were she simply lay there, dazed beyond recognition, her body still steaming from the extinguishes flames.

"Sister!" Marigold exclaimed!

Naruto rounded on her with a hiss.

_"Goka Goka no..._

"I'll block it!" She thrust both arms before her face, determined to would endure the monster's assault. He might be fast, but there was no way he could pierce her defenses with strength alone! Even with that ghoulish abomination aiding him! _I'll stop him!_ she thought. "I'll definitely stop him!"

"Like hell you will!" Naruto drew his right arm back and vanished in a flicker of foul flame. _"Soru!"_ There was a terrible, awful silence, broken only by Sonia's laboured breathing. Marigold's gaze flicked this way and that, desperate to find the man before he could reappear.

She didn't wait long.

_"Armageddon!"_

Materializing directly beneath her outstretched hands, the son of Silvers Rayleigh struck fast and hard and the _Susanoo_ with him; a powerful flaming uppercut that smashed Marigold's guard to pieces and powered into her chin. Still she struggled to resist, fighting the forces threatening to drive her corpulent form from the arena and into the air. Try as she might, she couldn't sustain the block; her neck muscles were giving way even as she struggled to defy the flaming fist pushing her body upwards.

_Too much! I can't...block...it!_

"Go flying!" Naruto roared!

Applying a world's worth of pressure, the Dark Prince bowled her over backwards, head over tail, flinging Mari from the arena and into the stands. She barely managed to arrest her momentum by latching onto the rail with her tail at the last instant, even then she felt her muscles tear from the strain needed to fight against the momentum. In the end it did her little good, the rail snapped beneath her weight, and sent her serpentine body sliding down the stairs towards the pit.

_This man...he's strong!_

Naruto stood tall and proud in the center of the arena, his breath coming in short, rasping gasps.

"Geh," he winced, coughing up blood, the crimson fluid trailing down his lips. "I forgot how much of a strain Susanoo can be. It feels like...every cell in my body is burning! Although, I'm always on fire..._ha!"_ Despite the pain searing in his chest, he'd managed to laugh at his own joke. Brooke would've loved that one! Forcing himself to smile, he returned his attention to Hancock.

"Looks like your sisters are finished, Boa!" He called up to her, defying the pain in his body. "Are you going to come down here and fight me yourself or are you going to give me a ship out of here?!" Scarce had he tried to speak than the crowd-what remained of them-erupted into boos and jeers.

_"How dare he speak to Hebihime-sama that way!"_

_"Sonia-sama! Maria-sama! Get up! Finish him off!"_

"Sonia! Mari!" When Hancock finally spoke, her voice had dropped an octave in displeasure, her blue orbs more akin to glacial ice than the afternoon skies for which she was so well known. "What are you playing around for?! Have you forgotten that you are here...to punish that man? Kill him now before he recovers!"

"P-Please forgive us, Big Sister!" Sonia pleaded as she picked herself up off the floor. "We'll finish him off right away!" As one they circled him, positioning themselves on either side of the arena. Naruto watched them a moment longer, his shoulders falling slack in exasperation. Persistent bunch these two...

"Hebigami Tsuki!" As he looked on, Sonia's hair took the shape of several serpents, each easily capable of splitting steel in twine. "Yamato-Orochi!"

"Hebigami Tsuki!" To his amusement, Marigold used a lighter to set herself aflame, the fires consumed her hair to assume the similair shape of serpents. Unlike her sister's, this attack, much like her body, was entirely wreathed in flames. "Salamander!"

Naruto sighed.

"You call that fire?" He shook his head, banishing Susanoo with a thought, momentarily glorifying in the blessed abscence of the pain he'd been experiencing. "Let me show you _real_ fire." Raising either hand, he formed a fist and brought them together. A blinding light burst from his body, wreathed in darkness and shadow. "Watch closely now! You won't be seeing this a second time! My favorite and completely original move...

_**"Amateratsu no Kouen!"**_

An immense shockwave, filled with fire and fury, slammed into the sisters, their twin technique evaporating as though it were little more than thin, harmless steam against so many blows. Forced together by the recoil, unable to retreat, Sonia could only gasp as the man's flames and those of her sister seared her face body, leaving her writhing in pain.

"Oh no!" Marigold cried! "Sonia-nee-sama! Get away from me!" Desperate to save her sibling, she shoved her backward, her body toppling toward the pit of spikes. "Watch out!" Miracuously, she seized the edge before she could plummet to her doom, leaving her hanging periously over the pit.

"What an outrage!" Hancock hissed. Not only had this man slain Bacura in a single blow, but he'd made a mockery of her and her sisters! Would there be no end to this humiliation?! This would not stand! She jerked up from her throne with a snarl. She would...! _No!_ That was when she saw it. Although Sandersonia had saved herself from almost certain death, the dreaded black flame of Amateratsu still smoldered at her back, searing away her cape, revealing charred skin. Revealing her back. Her back was exposed! Once the smoke cleared...

"Oi!" Naruto shouted, jumping over their intertwined tails as he saw Sandersonia's clothes being burned away. "Hold it! "Without pause or preamble or even thought, the logia leapt across the pit to land squarely upon Sonia's back, shielding the terrible mark emblazoned there with his own body. This close, the crowd's shrieking nearly deafened him.

_"He's trying to finish her off!"_

_"That's horrible!"_

_"He's going to drop her into the trench and impale her like a beast!"_

"You damned man!" Sandersonia hissed.

"Don't move!" Naruto whispered, his grip tightening around her spine. "Even if you intend to kill me...I no longer have any intention of killing you!"

"Cocky brat!" Sonia remained adamant. "Mari! Hurry up and kill him now that you have the chance!"

Marigold hesitated, the flames flickering from her flesh.

"What are you doing, Mari?! Now's your chance!"

"I can't, sister!" Her sibling replied. "Right now, that man is protecting us!"

_"Look!"_ Someone cried! _"Sandersonia's cape has been burned up and her back is exposed! If that man lets go of her, the Gorgon's eye will be-_

_"This is terrible! Everyone who sees them will turn to stone!"_

"Don't move." He hissed in her ear as she continued to struggle. "You don't want anyone to see _that_, now do you?!" Immediately, she ceased her efforts and did her best to remain utterly still.

"We were just fighting...why are you helping me?"

"That mark on your back...has nothing to do with our fight." Naruto whispered in reply. "Believe me, I know how you feel. You want to keep that thing hidden at all costs, right?" Oh yes, he knew all about that accursed mark; because he bore it himself. It lurked there on his lower back, lingering just beneath the tattered tisue of a long-healed, hideous self-inflicted scar; where he'd deliberately set himself ablaze in a desperate attempt to remove the brand. That had been before he'd eaten the Goka Goka no mi, before his parents rescued him, before Itachi-nii died, before...well, everything.

Realizing just what he was covering, the secret that this...this man was willingly protecting, Hancock was filled with such emotion, that it was all she could do to order everyone out of the arena for fear of seeing Sonia's 'Gorgon eye', before her legs gave out.

Utterly drained, she collapsed into her seat.

The tears falling from her eyes...

* * *

><p>"We're so sorry big sister!"<p>

"Not only did we lose but we were saved by our enemy!"

Her sisters fervently apologized for their defeat.

Hancock, now recovered from her brief emotional lapse, peered down at the man known as Naruto with intent. He favored his right leg over his left, affecting a light limp as he dragged Margaret's statue into a standing position. His gaze locked with hers.

"You gonna fight me next?" He gace no sign of his exhaustion; Hancock had no doubt he would, in fact, gladly fight her should the opportunity arise.

"That's enough." she sighed, shaking her head. "I do not feel like it anymore."

"Good." Naruto heaved a sigh of his own. "Then return them to normal."

Marigold and Sandersonia bristled.

_'What did he say?'_

"You can do that, right?" Naruto asked with a shrug of his shoulders. He hazarded a glance at Margaret's statuesqe form, a soft smile lining his chiseled features. "She's troublesome I know, and she was better off not interfering, but hey, she tried to protect me, ya know? That's gotta count for something. That makes it my fault not hers. So...whaddya say?"

"Indeed, I have the ability to return them to their former state." Hancock admitted. "However, you said there was somewhere you wanted to go by ship?"

"Yup." Naruto nodded. "My old man's probably still there waiting for me."

"I see...

Her gaze darkened.

"I shall grant you one request." With those cruel words, she watched disbelief dawn across the man's visage. "I can either reverse their petrification, or give you a ride home. I shall only do one or the other. Choose one and throw away the other choice forever!" A small smirk tugged at her lips as she awaited his inevitable reaction. He might play the gallant prince but beneath that he was as cold and cruel as the rest. He had to be. He must be, as all men were!

_'I will not be tricked!'_ she determined._ 'Show me your true selfish nature, you "man" of Saboady!'_

"Thank you!" Naruto thrust his head toward the floor, prostrating himself before Hancock and her sisters. "Turn them back to normal!" He didn't hesitate, even for a second. For all his anger and exasperation, for him to just choice was painfully obvious to him. Never one to put his survival above those of others, he decided it was better that Margaret and the others return to normal rather than remain statues forevemore. Really, it was how he'd been raised. _Always do the right thing,_ Shakky-kaasan had told him. _Even if it hurts._ It _did_ hurt a little, knowing he would not be able to get home and check on them as swiftly as he would've liked, but if he were to leave these three to rot...that would've left a far greater stain on his soul than any act of selfishness on his part.

Of course, Boa Hancock knew none of this.

_Not even a second of hesitation..._

Shocked couldn't even begin to describe Hancock's emotional state at this moment; nothing could. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief; this man with such impressive haki would bow to her so easily for the sake of another?! She felt something stir in her hardened heart, like a crack etching along a stone surface. It spread like a hairline fracture, growing larger with each passing second. _Lies!_ He must be lying...no! One look at him with his face folded into the floor, told her all. No one, woman or man, would subject themselves to such humiliation if their intentions were insincere.

_This man..._

Hancock stalked down the steps, doing her level best to ignore him and his smiling face. She hesitated before the stature, torn between anger and...something else. She couldn't discern this other emotion, to be honest she didn't want to. This man had made a fool of her with his arrogance in the bath and the arena, and yet here he was, discarding his pride, as easily as one drew breath. Such a thing was nigh but impossible for her. A man should not be able to-no one should!-do that, what this one had done.

"Man."

"Hmm?" Naruto perked up at once.

Hancock fixed him with a steely glare.

"Once I have restored these warriors...I would invite you to my palace. Do you accept?"

She watched him sit up, scrubbing the back of his head. _Now_ there was hesitation. She did not blame him. Mere moments ago she _had_ been prepared to step into the arena and take his head. Had he not acted to cover Sonia's back, she might've done just that. They would've fought and one of them would most likely have died. Her chest itched at the thought. A strange sensation was blossoming inside her, spreading warmth to every pore. Hancock did not...dislike it. On the contrary, she found it to be an almost welcome one. Now, she merely awaited the man's answer.

"Um..sure?" Naruto shrugged, pulling himself to his feet. "Why the sudden change of heart, if ya don't mind me asking?"

"I...

Hancock had to force the words out before four years worth of foul memories consumed her. Memories of pain and chains and burning brands. Of harsh words and blows and old fellows who treated her like a mere toy for their sick and twisted amusement. Boa shivered at the mere thought of it; what she was about show this man; what she would tell him. Slowly, she touched a hand to Margaret's stone face and bid her awaken. Her gaze found Naruto's once more, rooting him in place even as she began to revive the frozen warrior.

_"There is something I must show you."_

**A/N: FWAH! Suuuuch a long chapter! My eyes are KILLING ME! Although, being a skeleton...I HAVE NO EYES! YOHO! Naruto's broken Hancock's shell! They might turn out to be quite the pair, I do think! ****Which brings up a bit of good news! We finally get a Lemon next chapter! Guess who its gonna be? No, is it that obvious? On a final note, Naruto and Itachi are not related in any way shape or form! THEY ARE NOT! Think of the relationship as being similair to the one between Luffy and Ace. There ya be!**

**Oh, and please don't forget to review until my ears fall off. Although, being a skeleton...I have no ears to listen! YOHOHOHOHO! SKUUUUUULLL JOOOOOKE!**

**Next time: An Empress in Love?!**

**So...in the immortal words of Atlas...**

**...Review, would you kindly? And enjoy the preview! Try not to laugh!**

**(Preview)**

_"Before we do anything else, nyou should look at this, Naruto." Elder Nyon offered him a newpaper._

_"Hmm?" He accepted it with some confusion. "I don't see what's so important-GAH!"_

_Naruto stared at the newspaper for a long moment, his jaw agape, horror mounting. Oh no. No no no no! This wasn't happening! This **couldn't** be happening! He was staring at his own likeness, visage curled up into a cruel sneer, his body sheathed in black flames, wreathed in terrible power. It didn't take him long at all to realize someone had photographed him in Saboady whilst he was fighting Kizaru. _

_WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE!_

_"DARK PRINCE" Silvers D. Naruto. For the crime of attacking a marine admiral and being the son of Silvers Rayleigh..._

_And bellow that, the dreaded bounty amount with all those zeroes..._

**_"Six hundred million?!"_**

_Over! His humble life as a ship coater was over!_

_OVER!_

**R&R! =D**


	7. An Empress in Love and Burning Resolve

**A/N: YOHO! Another new chapter! Its a _suuuuuper _long one! Even longer than the last! And at long last, I've tried my hand at it! That's right! We finally get to see a long awaited lemon! Although being a skeleton...I HAVE NO EYES TO SEE! YOHOHOHOHOHO! SKUUUUUULLL JOOOOOKE! Alright alright in all seriousness this chapter covers a lot of ground, and with damned good reason! We'll be hitting the War of the Best VERY soon, and Naruto's going to play a key role in the events to come. We know this, but the question remains...on which side?**

**And with that being said...**

**...let the long awaited rebirth of this story continue! Onward with Prince of Darkness! **

_"You think I don't know what it feels like?! Eh?! Oi! I know exactly how it feels...to have that mark on your back..."_

_~Naruto D. Silvers._

** An Empress in Love and a Burning Resolve**

_'Just how long is she going to keep me waiting, that Hancock?'_

Such were the thoughts of Silvers D. Naruto as he sat cross-legged in the palace, flanked by Sandersonia and Marigold. Had he taken the time to take it in, he would've thought it a marvelous place; all silk and softness and such, but he really wasn't focused on this. He'd accepted the invitation and come as per Hancock's request but he was still wary. Surely she was up to something. She must be. I want to show you something. While he did not doubt his ability to handle any attack, he remained doubtful of the sister's intentions. He had an inkling of what she intended to show him; precisely why he was wary.

But he'd already accepted their invitation, and it wasn't as if he could just leave, so he crossed his legs once more and bid himself be patient.

"I should be thanking you." Sonia smiled suddenly from where she sat beside him. "Arigatou."

Naruto flushed briefly; he wasn't used to receiving praise from anyone other than his parents.

"Y-You don't have to thank me. It was the right thing to do." Sonia's thousand-watt smile didn't lessen in the slightest.

"If anyone had seen the mark on our backs, we wouldn't be able to stay in this country." Marigold confirmed, turning aside from the curtain placed before them. "We have you to thank for keeping our secret safe."

An old dread settled into Naruto's gut.

"About that-

"You may come in." Hancock's voice called from behind the curtain.

"Hmm?"

"I-I said come in, man!" Her words sounded strangled, forced.

Naruto had no intention of doing that. What if she were waiting to ambush him on the other side?

"Inside?"

"Inside the curtain."

"Alright...

His fingers closed on the gossamer silk drape and drew it back-

_And froze._

Hancock reclined before him, laid back against the cushion that was her serpent. She was naked. Naked, as the day she was born. He could see nearly every inch of her, from those raven tresses strewn across her lush breasts to her flawless curves; all was laid bare for him to see. The sight of her, nude, for the second time this day, stirred something in him. When first he'd laid eyes on her he'd been too startled to feel anything other than shock and awe. Now, he felt something. This time, she was allowing him to see her like this. Were it not for the pink sash laid across her waist he might've taken her then and there. Oi. Oi oi oi! _OI!_ Just where had _that_ thought come from?

"If you're trying to turn me to stone, it won't work." He found himself cautioning, and immediately cursed himself for the lie. She totally could! If Hancock were to use her devil fruit powers now, he'd be stiff as a statue by dawn! Thankfully, she did not. She merely regarded him for a long moment, her crystal orbs boring deeply into his own sapphire.

"Rude as always." Hancock snorted at last. "But that's alright."

Slowly, tentatively she reached a hand back to her hair, parting the ebony curtain with her fingertips. Old memories welled up and unbidden, Boa felt herself begin to tremble. No! She couldn't do this! The sheer _shame _of it all was too much for her to bear! It was embarassing! Degrading! Humiliating!

"Oi, you don't have to show me if you don't want to."

Hancock froze. She...didn't have to? Didn't have to show him the mark that caused her such shame? The thought had never occured to her before. This man, whom she'd thought to be a simple savage, was offering her a way out of this. A way out of the sorrow and the sadness engraved upon her back. _This man, he...isn't a savage after all._ Somehow, the thought lent her strength. She would do this. She would show him, and then he would answer her questions.

Her serpent turned, presenting him with a view of her back.

"You said you knew about this mark." Hancock concluded. "Please, take a look at it once more."

Naruto stilled at the sight of it; the hook of the Celestial Dragons peering at him from her back.

"Where did you see this?" She demanded. "Do you know the meaning of this mark? Answer me, now!" Her expression twisted in shame. "It's not something I want to show people."

The Dark Prince held his silence. Beneath his scar he felt his own brand burn in silent shame. This wasn't something he wanted to show anyone, either.

"Why don't you tell him?"

Hancock jumped at the age-old voice.

"Elder Nyon?! When did you get here?!"

The wizened old woman showed no sign of remorse as she entered the room; if anything, she looked pleased.

"Nyou have seen clearly how tolerant that man is." she said, indicating Naruto with her staff. "Don't be afraid. Tell him everything you want to share." Abruptly she directed her gaze toward Naruto. "Nyou! Nyou are the son of the Dark King, Silvers Rayleigh, am I right?

There was a moment of awkward silence. Naruto sighed.

"Aaaah, you've gone and done it now, baa-san." His scowl slipped from his face like running water, replaced by a small smile. "Well, there ya go! You finally know who I am! My old man's the Dark King! Hmm...I guess that makes me the Dark Prince then doesn't it?"

"Rayleigh?!" The three sisters balked. This young man was his son?!

"He's related to Rayleigh-san?!" Mari gawped.

"B-B-B-But's that's impossible!" Sonia sputtered. "I was certain he didn't have a son!"

Hancock shared in her sibling's awe. Slowly, she allowed the curtain of her hair to fall from her fingers, obscuring the hated brand on her back mark once more. The smallest of smiles lifted at her lips. At long last. Now she understood. Only the son of the legendary "Dark King" could possess such immeasurable willpower and determination. And his strength...he clearly derived most of it from that of his parent. The Dark Prince indeed! A fine and fitting name for a man such as him.

"It all makes sense now...you do resemble him, of a sorts."

"Really?" Naruto tilted his head aside. "Shakky-kaasan always said I looked more like her than anything...

"How can you be so casual after you caused such a sensation back in Saboady?!" Nyon chastisted; the former empresses's snake-staff uncioiling from her wrist, drawing a newspaper into an awaiting hand. "Just look at this newspaper, Hebihime! Days ago, this man...at Saboady Archipeligo, near the center sea, caused a horrific and grave incident when he dealt _death_ to a Celestial Dragon!" If the Boa siblings had been startled by that first revelation, then _this one_ floored the three of them.

_"EH?!"_

"Che!" Naruto swore, sinking his teeth into a thumb, "I'd hoped no had the stones to report me! Pops is gonna be pissed...

"So you actually did it?!"

"Well, yeah!"

He thought back to the his progenitor's revelation to the Strawhats, their arguement, and his ensuing departure. Come to think of it...

...that was when his little spree had started.

* * *

><p><em>(Flashback)<em>

_"I don't wanna hear it!"_

_Naruto stood woodenly, not taking enough care. So great was his haste, so great was his desire to be gone from here, that he knocked down the stool he'd been sitting upon; leaving it to shatter in a cloud of smoke and dust and broken timber. He nearly stumbled over the remnants in his haste, and, when Robin-kind soul that she was-reached out to steady him, Naruto cringed from her as though she were afire._

_"Are you alright?" She asked gently._

_"I'm not!" He bellowed, slamming the door shut behind him._

_Shakky finished cleaning a glass, then set it down._

_"You'll have to forgive him." he heard her through the door. "He's had...a hard life."_

_Whatever else they'd said, Naruto paid no heed to. He stormed down the path, leaving his parents, the Strawhats, and Caimie, far behind. Little did he know, that his sudden departure was not as sudden, nor as final, as he'd hoped it to be. He swore to himself that he wouldn't return, not until the Strawhats were off Saboady. Perhaps then would be the right time to address this issue. Until then he had no intention of returning, let alone joining some half-assed pirate crew! Not after what had happened to Itach-nii..._

_The Dark Prince shook his head fiercely, dispelling the memory._

_"Never." He muttered to himself, stalking away from the door and into the grove. "I'm not a pirate, I'm...not a pirate. I'm not a-_

_"Stop, slave!"_

_"What in the name of kami-" Naruto froze, his blood inexplicably stilling in his veins. He frowned. Had he heard a voice just now? He had. He'd heard the words 'Stop' and 'Slave' used in the same sentence. Craning his neck, he spied movement in the far distance; a battle breaking out, perhaps? Tch, anything was better than standing here, listening to his old man prattle on about Roger. __Drawing back his hood to conceal his face, he flickered forward in a burst of soru, rapidly placing distance between himself and his home, crossing the expanse between the pursuers and their prey in an instant. _

_That was when he saw her._

_She was a young, tall, well-proportioned woman with long blue hair and rich black eyes. And she was running for her life. Beyond that he could see little of her; save her long white dress and a yellow headpiece holding a red gem-piece at the front. And then she saw him. Wide, wild eyes locked with his, those soft orbs issuing a silent plea._

_Help me._

_And then she was gone, running as fast as her legs could carry her._

_Her pursuers weren't far behind; he recognized the slavers at once. He knew their smell; their scent was plain as the light of day to them. But what was this? There was a different scent among them. The scent of what might've been perfume, mired with antiseptic. His gaze swiveled, eyes narrowing. There. A woman, riding in a carriage. But what did she have to do with-_

_Naruto's teeth sank into his lower lip the moment he beheld the air bubble over the woman's head. Shit. A word noble. Of all the people to show up, it just had to be one of them, didn't it? He stood aside, allowing them passage almost before he realized it. He cringed as he saw the carriage she was riding on; because it was no carriage. She rode atop the backs of two men, thick collars tied to their neck. Those poor fellows, looked half dead and that was being generous. Even as Naruto looked on, the slavers caught up with the runaway lass._

_One of the men caught the woman. Another knocked her down, forcing her to the floor. Then the beating began._

_Don't get involved. he willed at his trembling body. This isn't your fight. You've caused enough trouble here already. Don't get involved. Don't get involved. Don't get involved..._

_The woman's chest began moving in earnest hitching in small gasps of fear. Tears welled out of her closed eyes. Her mouth opened in a ragged oval. She was crying with her head in a vise between her knees. She was frightened, terrrified, beyond belief. She was just a defenseless woman...damnit, she hadn't done anything wrong! Was her really going to stand here as those men railed on her, as they tore at her dress, and and and-_

**_"!"_**

_"Pascia," A cruelly familiar voice crowed over the din of her cires, "My brother purchased you for 7,200,000 berri! Did you really think you could escape?" Naruto frowned, his eyes widening in recognition. This girl...she must've been one of the slaves he and Rayleigh had set free! And that voice..._

_"I-I'm sorry Shaulia-sama," Pascia sobbed, "I promise won't try to escape again-_

_Shaulia?_

_It didn't take him all that long to recognize the party responsible for her tears. That _was _Saint Shaulia at the head of the group, the very same Tenryubito he'd nearly slain back at the Auction House before Rayleigh had stayed his hand. She held a collar tightly in her hands, her intentions clear. She was going to put that collar on her. Make her a slave again. Naruto hastened his pace, shoving his way through the crowd of spectators to reach the pair. The fools, thinking him a mere spectator, allowed him to pass, unaware of the turmoil raging inside the blonde's body._

_His blood had been icy for so long, with only the occasioal flash of heat to prevent him from freezing. That same heat rose as he saw her. Now that blood was molten, scorching in his veins, warming him up. Sweat rose and beaded on his brow, between his shoulder blades and trickled down his stomach. Even his breath burned him, singeing his lungs and scraping at his throat. There was only one cure for the fever and he instinctively knew what it was. But he had to get closer to her first..._

_Pascia whimpered, her body quivering as the Tenryubito prepared to lock the collar around her neck._

_"P-Please don't put that collar on me-_

_"Silence!" Shaulia struck her, sending Pascia sprawling, inadvertantly knocking the locking mechanism from her neck. "This is the price you pay for your defiance!"_

_At the last second, just as the scornful dragon moved to narrow the distance between her and her brother's former slave, Naruto reached over to tap Shaulia on the shoulder. The Tenryubito swung to face him, anger in her eyes. A sudden breeze tore through the grove at that very instant; ripping back his hood and exposing his face. Naruto nearly cursed. Cursed, as he saw the recognition, in her eyes._

_"Remember me?" he asked with faux pleasantness, the words dripping with menace._

_"You!" __Shaulia bristled._

_Pascia stiffened, hope shining in her teary orbs._

_"Please!" She begged! "Help me!"_

_"You insolent-_

_Shaulia whirled to strike at her again. Naruto's hand locked around her wrist like a vice, holding her fast. The Tenryubito struggled against him, but to no avail; forced to stare into the bloodred eyes of her agressor. His fingers bit down with superhuman strength, eliciting a yelp as they crushed the bone beneath, hairline fractures etching across the length of her wrist. _

_"Get your filthy hands off of me, you commooo**oooof!**_

_Naruto said nothing, but he struck like a serpent, yelling his fury and giving his body the sharp countertwist that made his kicks so blindingly fast and powerful. Even the girl, who was looking straight at him, barely saw the strike. Naruto's shin burst through the air bubble, and crushed against Shaulia's face. Crushed it, inward._ _The crunching squish of her nose being obliterated split the sudden silence and then she was gone; tumbling head over heels across the grove like a flopping fish, flipping forward into her unprepared guards. The crowd gasped. Someone cheered._

"_He hit a Tenryubito!"_

_"He did!"_

_"Is that guy crazy?! He'll alert the navy!"_

_"You worm!" __Shaulia shrieked as she picked herself up, clutching at the ruined remnants of her nose. "How dare you touch me?! HOW DARE YOU?! I'll bring the navy down on your head! Do you hear me?! I'll make life itself a living hell for you! I will have you squirm and writhe and suffer and **beg** for me to end your wretched existence! You'll regret the day you ever-_

_The rest of her words were lost in a yellow flash._

**"Ittoryu: Nadegiri."**

_Naruto didn't hesitate in the slightest way; he stepped forward, unsheathed his sword, and lopped off her head in a swift, brutal movement. There was a sickening squelching sound punctuated by a bloodied gush of arterial spray as Shaulia's head rolled from her shoulders, and into the air, her expression forever frozen in arrogance; she'd believed her title would protect her, right until the very end. The Dark Prince didn't pause to admire his handiwork as he sheathed his blade, nor did he stop to care for the blood covering his body. Gore stained his visage; one that rounded on the remaining slavers as swiftly as a coiled serpent._

_"Anyone one else wanna try and capture this young lady?" he challenged._

_"He killed her!" Someone screamed. "He actually **killed** a Tenryubito!"_

_"Lets get out of here before an admiral comes!"_

_"Damn right!"_

_Naruto had to forcibly restriain himself from slaughtering them as they fled; he'd saved the girl-this Pascia-and in the end, that was all that mattered. She was safe now. He'd get her somewhere safe and then he would get the **hell** home, hunker down and pray no one was fool enough to report Shaulia's death. Extracting a rag from one of the many pouches of his vest, he began to dab the blood off his mouth and chin. It was not until her unfamiliar voice rang out that he deigned to remember the reason for slaying Shaulia in the first place._

_"Ano...who might you be?"_

_Naruto turned, peered at Pascia for a moment and warred with himself; fighting the rising heat in his face. How should he identify himself? His heritage wasn't a well known fact and he preferred to keep it that way. But he had to tell her something...damnit!_

_"A friend." he relented at last._

_He reached down and ripped the collar from her neck, reducing it to so much slag in the palm of his hand, cast aside in the next instant. Then he offered his hand. Tentatively, she accepted it, fingers curling against his own as he helped her to her feet. She stumbled at first, her knees knocking together as she struggled to stand._

_"Careful." He cautioned._

_He wasn't at all prepared for what Pascia did next._

_She leaned into him with a small and sultry smile, curves pressing against his body. Naruto couldn't help himself. He shuddered. Gone was the frightened slave she'd been mere moments ago; in her place was a woman willing to repay him for his service in both body and soul. He could understand her earlier fear at being recaptured, but this? This baffled him. Extremely so!_

_"My hero." She whispered, planting a soft kiss against the blonde's whiskered cheek. Naruto sputtered in surprise, his earler bravado vanishing in the wake of this sudden and unexpected act. __"How can I ever repay you for saving me; my master?" Her breasts rubbed up against his arm in a silent plea, her eyes heavy-lidded with desire. "Surely you've earned a reward for your noble actions..._

_Naruto nearly bit his own tongue off. Master?! Now wait just a damned minute! He was no one's master! With a supreme effort of will he took her by the shoulders and held her back at arms length. She blinked, clearly puzzled by what she perceived as a rejection._

_"There's no need for that." he shook his head. "You don't have to force yourself."_

_Her smile, when it came, was unexpected._

_"Ara, but I'd much rather repay **you** for your kindness." __Pascia shook his arms off and stepped forward to ply her curves against him again, fingers playing across his chest, her lips brushing the outer lobe of his left ear. "After all, I'm very...grateful, for what you've done." Naruto felt a thin line of blood trickle from his nose, one he promptly sniffed back up as her hands trailed towards his face, cupping his chin. Kuso! Curse his weakness for all things woman! He'd always been this way and made a concsious effort to avoid them. No chance of that here! He was beginning to realize Pascia wasn't going to be dissuaded; she obviously had a serious case of hero worship going on._

_"Well...if you insist...then who am I to refuse?"_

_The dancer smiled and took his hand, leading him along._

_"This way, master..._

_(End Flashback)_

* * *

><p>Was it worth it? Yes. Did he regret it? No. Nevertheless, he still felt a tad uncomfortable beneath the sisters' stares. He'd done the right thing! Discovering Pascia was a dancer had been a bonus. Getting a lap dance out of the bargain <em>and<em> being called master? Well...that was something he preferred not to think about. As for Pascia's safety...well, he couldn't dwell on that, either. He'd brought her to a safehouse he'd prepared in case of such emergencies, leaving her with strict instructions and a den-den-mushi to contact either his father or mother if he didn't return in at least three hours.e.

He knew they'd arrange transport for her off the Archipeligo, which was good; Naruto didn't quite know how he felt about the woman referring to him as "Naruto-sama" whenever she was in his prescence. That, and he didn't exactly feel like explaining to Shakky-kaasan just how he'd come into her company. _Don't get me started on the old man..._

A swift glance at the his father's vivre card revealed that Rayleigh was at least in good health; the paper hadn't smoldered any since he'd found himself on Amazon Lily. He knew well enough that his father would never allow himself to be captured by the marines...but did that mean he

Thankfully, the kuja didn't give him all that much time to dwell upon either.

"Killed a Celestial Dragon?!" Hancock gawped.

"Nyes!" Nyon replied. "Quite frankly, its a miracle he managed to get away from the supreme powers at the center sea after that. And in only a couple of days he arrived here at Amazon Lily, so far away. Its all beyond our understanding."

"Just who are you?!" Marigold gawked.

"I already _told_ you who I am," Naruto flushed, "And by the way, I _don't_ feel one bit sorry for what I did to that Celestial Dragon. I may not be a pirate, but even I know when someone deserves to die." His eyes flashed with fury. "Trust me when I say she was long overdue."

Hancock swallowed nervously.

"T-Then...

"Ara?"

...it _is _true that you killed a Tenryubito?"

Naruto nearly facepalmed.

"Oh for the love of-!" He flung up his hands in exasperation, "Yes! I did it! I butchered her like a dog and I'd do it again!"

He wasn't expecting the tears.

"The ones who put their lives at risk to challenge these celestials...like him!"

All at once, the pieces clicked into place.

"Then...there are still fools like that...in this world...

"Wait, so I'm a fool now?" Naruto couldn't help but bristle at the insinuation.

"No...

Hancock shook her head.

"I'm sure you already know this much, but I'll inform you anyway; this mark makes tells everyone that whomever bears it is subhuman." Her lower jaw clenched in place and her tongue went still; refusing to form what she wanted to say. She nearly choked on those dreaded, awful words. "We bear it because we three were once...slaves of the World Nobles!"

For a moment, just a moment, Hancock though she felt killer intent from Naruto. It wasn't directed toward her or her sisters, just a nameless sense of menace and fury, itching to lash out. A seed of doubt planted itself in her mind. What had been done to him to make him so angry on a sudden? She knew many despised the Tenryubito for their cruel and callous deeds on a global scale but this...she sensed this hatred was deeper than even she knew. Much deeper. The way those irises flickered intermittently between sapphire and scarlet offered no clues to his thoughts.

At last, Naruto seemed to recognize what he was doing. He shook himself with an effort, his anger abating.

"Continue." He sat before her, folding his legs anew. "I'll hear everything you have to say."

Naruto said nothing as she told her tale; he listened patiently as she told him of how she and her sisters were captured, of the four years they'd spent in that hell; of wanting to die. Until that fateful night, the night that shook the World Government to its roots. The night Fisher Tiger stormed Mariejoa, freeing slaves of all races, including her and her sisters. As her story drew to a close Hancock noticed something in the man; there was an odd gleam in his eyes, as if he had something he desperately wanted to tell her, yet could not bring himself to utter the words.

Hancock continued.

"Surprisingly, when we were slaves, we were forced to eat the Mero Mero and Hebi Hebi fruits for their entertainment, and that eneabled us to deceive our nation and preserve the secret. If you didn't cover up Sonia's back at that moment, it would have been impossible for us to stay on this island." When the tears came this time she did not_-could not-_defend against them. "I don't want anyone to know about our pasts! I won't stop at deceiving a whole nation to hide it! We won't open ourselves at any price!" She curled her knees into her chest and buried her head between them. "We don't want anybody to take advantage of us again! I'm scared of being caught off guard. It terrifies me! I can't take it!"

"I...

Strong arms closed around her back, the hard notes of a strong body joining to hers. Hancock froze, her body going slack as Naruto embraced her. Because Naruto was doing just that; his scarred arms wrapped firmly around her waist, drawing her close to him. She'd been caught off guard. Her first instinct was to scream and strike him; to lash out and slap him aside. But she couldn't. Instead she found herself succumbing, growing weaker and weaker within his arms.

"Yosh," he cooed at her quietly, rubbing the small of her back in smaller circles. "It's alright. I understand. You...don't have to say anymore." Unshed tears stabbed at Boa's eyes, trailing down her cheeks to mingle with a small sob. When...was the last time a man had embraced her? Never. She couldn't recall ever being hugged by anyone other than her sisters; even Sonia and Mari hadn't held her like this. Though they were sisters, it was always fleeting. A touch on the shoulder, the occasional kind glance here or there; because they knew their sister couldn't emotionally handle anything more.

And yet this man had seen her in her moment of weakness and chosen to embrace her. Knowing the risk, he had still done so anyway. Uncaring for her nakedness nor her breasts pushing into his chest, he still held her like this, comforting her. Comforting! Her! Once, the notion might've galled Hancock. Now...she didn't know what to feel.

"Let go of me." she whispered.

"No." Naruto said.

"I said-

"And _I said_ I'm not letting go of you until you calm down." His words were fierce. Adamant. Something about the way he said them...it stirred something in her.

"Do as you wish." She tried to say that, but it came out garbled, sounding like, "Doasyouwish."

"Sister!" Hancock heard Sonia and Mari gasp as one, baffled by her unexpected reaction to the man and his embrace. She could've sworn Elder Nyon was smiling, but she daren't raise her head to look. She felt naked in the man's arms, and not just because of her lack of clothing. It was as if all her baririers had been stripped away in an instant, leaving her bare before his gaze. And he wasn't even looking at her! She could feel his chin resting on her shoulder, refusing to take advantage of this rare opportunity. Hancock felt the tears coming again and was powerless to stop them.

This man...this man..._!_

A sob exploded out of the back of her throat only to be muffled by his shoulder seconds later. "You've really been holding it in, haven't you?" Naruto wondered aloud. Boa said nothing as he murmurred this into her ear; when he took a hand from her waist and began stroking at her hair it was all she could do to sit still, her fingers clenching against his cape. She had to remind herself over and over _and over_ that he wasn't going to hurt her despite knowing nothing of th sort. She felt his calloused fingers trace across her back, not groping or touching, merely massaging the tense muscles beneath.

Somehow, the knowledge that he wasn't going to hurt her broke something inside Boa Hancock.

Naruto rocked her back and forth as she began to cry, whispering soft nothings into her ear. All the while the hairline fractures in her heart of stone began to spread; splintering into a break then a fissure, and finally an outright collapse until the tears finally stopped falling. She'd cried herself dry. Naruto released her-slowly-and her serpent drew her robe over her shoulders once more.

"Better?" The question was so inocuous it nearly brought on the tears again; thankfully, she hadn't anything left to cry.

"Ho!" Elder Nyon said suddenly, surprising them all by hopping up onto her snake staff, swaying too and fro, wrinkled lips quirked in amusement. "But this the first time in a long time that nyou've shown your emotions like that. Recently I thought nyou'd turned to ice, Hebihime!"

Hancock lurched to her feet, nearly knocking Naruto over in her haste to rise.

"Shut up! You're a traitor who left the country behind! I don't want to hear such things from you!"

"Nyou should be the one shutting up!" The elder retorted, ceasing her swaying at once to glare at her. As always, Boa nearly faltered beneath that icy stare. "Nyou three were miserable and didn't know how to return to this island after nyou ran away from the Tenryubito! Who brought nyou back?! Nyou should be thankful that I was living outside this country!"

"Hmmph!" Hancock whirled so no one-least of all Naruto-could see the rising flush on her face. "You speak of a small favor!"

"What did nyou say?!"

"Nyon-sama...

"I always kept an eye on nyou three as a mother would! And you call that a "small" favor, Hebihime?! Hey, get nyour hands off of me, Mari, Sonia!" Laughter resounded behind Hancock as her sisters gently restrained the comically enraged elder from throwing herself at their sibling and quite possibly, her death.

The Dark Prince chortled softly from where he had fallen.

"Quite the little family you have here."

"Y-Yes...

Hancock couldn't believe she'd managed to wring the words out before four years worth of foul memories consumed her. Memories of pain and chains and burning brands. Of harsh words and blows and old fellows who treated her like a mere toy for their sick and twisted amusement. Boa shivered at the mere thought of it; of what she had shown this man; what she had told him. He knew everything about her now, the awful truth of her past. And he spoke to her so lightly, as though he considered the matter closed. But Hancock had yet one more question for him. She felt her fingers clench around the hem of her gown, just above her breast, her lips trembling at the thought of asking.

"Are you going to...look down on me, a former slave?"

There was a silence.

"Hancock." Naruto stood abruptly, casting off the coat bequeathed to him upon his triumph in the arena. "You showed me your back. Now there's something I want _you_ to see." His upper body was suddenly exposed, laid bare for their eyes to see. Abruptly he turned in place, offering her a second glimpse of that...that _thing_ upon his back. She had seen it during his bout with Sonia and Mari, but that had been from a distance. Up close, the sight of it made her stomach lurch in revulsion, its bile rising in her throat.

"Look at this." He gestured to his back, indicating the horrific scar he'd inflicted upon himself. "Do you see this mark?" Hancock nodded, a swift, jerky bob. Such a horrrid wound. What manner of beast or blade could've possibly inflicted such an injury upon him? And it was in the exact same place as her mark...No. A snake of dread coiled in Boa's stomach, a snake, of losing everything she'd ever known. This man wasn't...he could not be...

"Where...where did you get that?"

"I...did this to myself when I was a kid." Naruto admitted, his voice rising over her gasp of surprise. "To cover something up." His chin clenched, a muscle jumping in his jaw. "It hurt like hell at the time, but I did it was either that or bear 'it' for the rest of my. You see...I...

He drew a deep breath and breathed it out in one gasp.

_"I was a slave once, too."_

**"!"**

Hancock's heart hammered in her chest. No! This man! He couldn't be...

Sonia's long tongue brushed her lips, showing her disbelief. "You're kidding! Right, sister?"

"It was like everything you just said." Naruto's teeth sank into his lower lip to stifle a sob. "When I first saw that mark on your back I knew you must've suffed, but to go through something like that at such a young age for four years and survive...it must've been harsh. No, it probably was harsh" He shuddered. "I was only ten when I was taken. You see, I was always strong for my age, and that attracted attention. I was taken before I knew what was happening; and a slave for two years before I managed to escape...but...during that time...

Hancock saw the ghost of sorrow flit across his face. What she did not see-could not see-was the ghastly memory he was experiencing.

_"Don't leave me behind!"_

Naruto shook himself and forced a laugh, banishing the voice from his past.

"Well, that's in the past!" He reached down for his coat, draping it across his shoulders once more. "But to answer your question, why the hell would I look down on ya? Sure you might've seemed uppity and everything when we first met, but I understand that now. And besides, did you not get the fact that I _killed_ a Tenryubito? I fucking hate those guys!"

Hancock's fist unclenched. She sniffed, a light flush rising to her cheeks. A laugh slipped past her lips, incredulous and disbelieving. Silves D. Naruto...he truly was something else. Incredible. Remarkable. Arrogant, and yet oh so humble. She doubted she'd ever find another man like him in all the world

"I like you!" Hancock laughed, scrubbing at her eyes with the back of a hand. "Didn't you say you had one more wish? Very well then! I'll give you a ride!"

"Really?!" Naruto gawped.

"Of course." She smiled. "I do not lie. The Kuja Pirates will carry you to Saboady Archipeligo. You should rest well tonight to prepare for the journey."

"Ha!" Naruto laughed. "This is great! I'm getting off this island tomorrow!"

So ensorcelled was he in his own enthusiasm that he nearly missed it; Hancock suddenly faltered in her step, a strange look entered her eyes. They narrowed for the merest moment, misting with tears. She clutched at her heart with a hand, her fingers clenching over the fabric of her vest. And then it was gone, as swiftly as it had come, leaving the Dark Prince to wonder if he'd only imagined it.

"Sonia. Mari! Make sure Naruto has a seat for tonight's banquet!"

Naruto blinked.

_"Banquet?"_

* * *

><p>"Crap, that's a lot of food!" Naruto guffawed some hours later at the sight of the banquet laid out before him. Come to think of it, he hadn't had a decent meal since he ate that boar yesterday. But Naruto wasn't Luffy; he didn't gorge himself. At least, not right away. He took the place reserved for him, doing his best to ignore the reserved grumbles ellicited by his prescence. Needless to say, the food proved deliciious. There was sea king meat and...ooh! Over there, steak, and pasta and-<p>

_"What's he doing here?"_

There was tension in the air, so thick was almost palpable. He could feel their eyes boring into back; sizing him up, scrutinizing him. Apparently Hancock had neglected to spread word of his innocence to the rest of her people. A fact that he picked up on when his haki offered a split-second warning; several of the Kuja were reaching for concealed knives, under the mistaken impression that their _Hebihime_ had sent him here merely to be executed while he was guard was down.

_Not bloody likely!_

While he could've easily disarmed and killed them at a moments notice, he knew as soon he did he'd prove himself to be no more than a brutal savage in their eyes. Naruto sighed. He was truly tired of putting on these airs just to prove he wasn't a savage. And he wasn't! Setting down the hunk of sea king meat upon which he'd been feasting, the blond gulped down another portion and heaved a mighty breath.

"Anybody got an instrument?"

There was a silence. Everyone looked at him strangely; some as if he'd grown another head.

"Fine, then!"

Raising his hands, he conjured up a violin and a string, each wreathed in black flames. He could create all manner of form from his hellfire, this was merely another manifestation of his powers. He struck a chord with it and there came a sursurus of whispers from the women.

_"Did you see that?!"_

_"Out of thin air!"_

_"Is he going to play for us?"_

He fidled with it-ha!-for a moment, wondering what, if anything, he should sing. Itachi had taught him an old marine song once, but somehow, he just couldn't bring himself to sing that. Not here, now now, surrounded by a host of unfamiliar faces as he was. Well, there was one other song he did now...and it seemed appropriate, given he was surrounded by pirates. It galled him, to know what he was about to do, but he simply could not stand the dreary atmosphere for one single second longer. Oddly enough, he had that damned Mugiwara to thank for the idea.

"Ahem," he coughed into a fist...

_(Flashback)_

_It had happened shortly after his massacre of the slaver's camp, after his retrieval of Camie's backpack. Their trek to his home had been a long one-longer than he would've liked-and with Camie constantly fretting over Hacchi's injuries, the progeny of Rayleigh soon found himself trailing at the back of the group, careful to maintain his distance from this notorious crew of pirates. Easier said than done._

_That was when Luffy took it upon himself to start talking. Again._

_"Sooo-_

_"For the last time, no!" Naruto growled in reply. "I'm not joining your crew!"_

_There was a silence. Sweet, blessed silence. It didn't last._

_"How about now?" Luffy asked._

_"No." _

_"…How 'bout now?"_

_"Let me think about it."_

_"Really?" Luffy walked in front of him for another ten seconds, unable to keep the delight from his face. "Now?"_

_"**No**!" Naruto finally exploded, smashing the rubberman backwards with a hardy headbutt, sending him sprawling into a nearby tree. Silence fell instantly. The Strawhats groaned and sighed in relief; Luffy lay dazed in the corner, stars swinging around his head like a merry-go-round, but otherwise unharmed. For a moment, just a moment, Naruto dared to hope that would be the end of it; that he'd gotten his point across. Then the Gomu-Gomu boy bounced back to his feet and bounded back towards him._

_"How did you do that?!" He asked in awe._

_"Ummm...its called a headbutt?"_

_"I believe he's referring to how you were able to injure him, Naruto." Rayleigh piped up from where he walked at the front of their little group. Naruto glared bloody red daggers at his progenitor; like HELL he was going to tell this damned Mugiwara about Haki!_

_"Yeah, that!"_

_"I'm not telling you and I'm not joining your crew!" The Dark Prince bit out. "End of discussion!"_

_"But why noooooot~?" Luffy whined. _

_"Because I said no!" Naruto all but growled. "You wanna get set on fire or something?!"_

_"UWOH!" Luffy's eyes practically shone at that. "Then you're just like Ace?!"_

_"Ha?" Naruto blinked. "Who in the nine circles of hell is that?"_

_"He's my big brother!"_

_"Again, I don't know ay Ace._

_"You'd probably know him as Fire Fist Ace now." Robin elaborated. _

_Naruto abruptly went still._

_Fire Fist Ace..._

_"Mugiwara...that man**...is your brother?"** He felt a muscle jump in his jaw._

_"Oh! Have you met him?"_

_"Oh, I've met him alright." Naruto growled. "That bastard, he-_

_"He?"_

_"Nevermind." The Dark Prince forcibly snapped his jaw shut; brother or no, this punk wouldn't understand the grudge he bore against that upstart. Fire Fist Ace. That bastard...he-_

_"Just leave him be, Luffy." Sanji cut in, blowing a thin line of smoke from his cigarette. "He doesn't look like the kind to have any sort of ambition anyway. Hell, he probably doesn't even have a dream." Just like that his reality returned with a deafening clang. That damned mustache-eyebrow! 'Make fun of me will you..._

_"Pah!" Naruto snorted. "Says the shitty cook!"_

_Sanji actually **jumped.**_

_"What...did you call me?"_

_"I said shitty cook!"_

_"Kono-!"_

_Zoro laughed at that one. _

_"Heh, I like this guy."_

_"Urusai, baka marimo!" Sanji snapped. "At least HE doesn't go left when he's supposed to go right!"_

_"Nanda?!" the swordsman growled. "You're getting awfully big today, shit cook!"_

_"You wanna go, shitty swordsman?!"_

_"Bring it on! I'll cut you in half!"_

_"U-RU-SAI!" __Nami shrieked, her fists raising merciless lumps on both of their heads. "You guys are giving me a headache! Go argue somewhere else!"_

_"Hai! Nami-swaaaaaaan!" Sanji lover-boyed._

_"So...?" Luffy began again. "He should join-_

_**"NO!"** Nami, Sanji, and several others screamed, whacking him over the head in unison. "Stop asking that!"_

_Zorro cocked his head, contemplating the blond._

_"Well, **I** don't have a problem with-_

_"Shut up, Marimo!" Sanji snapped. "No one asked you!"_

_"I think he's interesting." Robin concluded with a smoldering glance._

_Naruto flushed._

_"D-Don't look at me like that!"_

_"Wouldn't you agree, cook-san?" the archaeologist asked._

_"Of course, Robi-chwaaaaaaaan!" __Sanji abruptly reversed his stance on the issue. "Whatver you saaaaaay!"_

_"I suuuuuuuper agree!" Franky echoed, striking a pose._

_Usopp frowned._

_"I dunno..._

_"H-He seems normal..." Chopper said timidly, throwing in his two cents._

_"I disagree!" Nami barked, throwing the reindeer's two cents back down his throat. "He's a demon! Anytime and every damn time __Luffy sees something or something cool he wants to make it a nakama!" their navigator muttered blackly, shouldering her climatact. "And it doesn't help that you lot keep agreeing with him! Just look at that guy! He blinked back there and set those marines on **fire!** Who does that?! A monster, that's who!"_

_"Hey!" Naruto cried! "I happen to be standing **right here,** miss!"_

_"Ah! Sorry!"_

_"Yohoho!" Brooke cackled. "She's harsh!"_

_"It's no use!" Naruto bemoaned his situation as their conversation continued without. "I'm going to get a bounty just by hanging around these guys! Oh cruel ordainer of fate! What have I done to desrve this torment?! Why must you make me suffer so?! Is it so wrong to want a normal life?! I just wanted to find a nice girl, settle down, get married, maybe have a kid or two..._

_"Why would you wanna do that?" Luffy exclaimed, laughing with pure, childish joy. "Being normal is boring! Its waaaaaay more fun to be a pirate. C'mon! Be our nakama!"_

_"Aaaaaargh!"_

_Left with little else to to, the Dark P__rince reluctantly began to speak with the Mugiwara's in the meantime. He soon learned that Luffy-as if he weren't obvious enough-was deadset upon becoming the pirate king. Zorro; the world's greatest swordsman. Nami wished to make a map of the entire world. Usopp wished to become a strong warrior of the sea. Sanji-whom Naruto found too much of a loverboy for his own good-wished to find the legendary All Blue, where fish from all the oceans gathered. _

_From there he learned that Chopper wished to become a great doctor in honour of his fallen mentor. Nico Robin wanted to find and read the Rio Poneglyph to continue her mother's research. Franky-or pervy cyborg as Naruto was quick to call him-had already fufilled his dream by creating the crew's ship, Thousand Sunny. Now he merely wished to keep it in good condition. __But when it came time to inquire as to the final member of the Mugiwara crew about his ambitions, the blond found himself hesitant._

_He was leery of skeletons. **Especially** talking ones!_

_"It seems they've taken a liking to you."_

_"I'm not-" Naruto sighed. "Look," he asked aside, "Is he every going to stop asking me to join his crew?"_

_"Hmm...I think not." Brooke conceded. "Luffy-san was especially persistent in my case."_

_...I can see why."_

_"Because I am a splendid musician?"_

_"No, wait what__?" Naruto blinked in surprise. "You can play?"_

_The skelton tilted his hat._

_"Correct! I am "Dead Bones" Brooke, at your service! Pleased to make your acquaintance! __Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho!"_

_"Yohohoho...hey!" Naruto perked up. "I know a song like that!"_

_"Oya?"_

_"M-My mother used to sing to me when I was little." He gestured vainly. "She even taught me how to play the violin. Can't really say I'm a master at it though..._

_"Yoho!" Brooke laughed. "I'd love to hear it sometime! Although..._

_"Although?"_

_"I HAVE NO EARS TO HEAR!" Brooke cackled. __"SKUUUUUUULL JOOOOOOKE!"_

_"Skull Joke!" Luffy echoed with a laugh._

_Naruto sweatrdopped._

_"Skull...what?"_

_"So, c'mon!" the rubberman prodded. "Join our crew!"_

_"For the last time_**_...I SAID NO!"_**

_(End Flashback)_

* * *

><p><em>Damnit.<em> Naruto thought to himself as he stood up from the table. _You better not make me regret this, Brooke_...

"Hai hai, minasan!" He called loudly, drawing all eyes unto him. "May I have your attention for a moment please!" He stretched the bow across the string, drawing forth a soulful note. "This is a song my mother used to sing to me when I couldn't sleep. Feel free to join in as ya please! "He drew a deep breath, pulled back the string once, twice, thrice, and when he was all but certain he finally had the damed rhythym down as best he'd be able, began to play.

"_Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho!" _he began softly, his voice little more than a dry whisper in the deafening silence._"Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho! __Binkusu no sake o, todoke ni yuku yo Umikaze kimakase namimakase. Shio no mukou de, yuuhi mo sawagu Sora nya wa wo kaku, tori no uta..._

He paused, falling silent as the rest of the words escaped him. Argh! How did it go again?! It had been so long since he last heard the lyrics...

_"Sayonara minato, Tsumugi no sato yo DON to icchou utao, funade no uta Kinpa-ginpa mo shibuki ni kaete Oretacha yuku zo, umi no kagiri!_" Naruto nearly tripped over himself when Margureuite piped up with the next verse, her soft, feminine voice lilting in the sudden silence; aperfect harmony with his melody. She shot him a bright grin from where she sat across the table, silently urging him on. Naruto forced himself to continue, a slow, steady rythym rising as her voice joined with his.

And then Sweetpea was singing, her masculine voice providing a backdrop for the two of them as they sang.

"_Binkusu no sake o, todoke ni yuku yo Warera kaizoku, umi watteku Nami wo makura nii, negura wa fune yo Ho ni hata ni ketateru wa dokuro!" _The Dark Prince had to quell an inane bout of mirth; because Aphelandra had since decided to join them now, singing horribly off-key._ "A__rashi ga kita zo, senri no sora ni Nami ga odoru yo, DORAMU narase Okubyoukaze ni fukarerya saigo Asu no asahi ga nai ja nashi!"_

Naruto barked out a laugh as Ran and Daisy then finally even Rindo, cast off their inhibitions and one by one, added their voices to his. He wasn't a pirate. He refused to become one. And yet, he couldn't help but smile as one by one, the rest of the Kuja joined in song.

_"Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho..._

* * *

><p><em>"Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho...<em>

Hancock could hear the singing all the way from the palace, even as she leaned against the balcony rail. It was almost enough to bring a smile to her face. Almost, but not quite. The knowledge that he would be leaving in the morning sorrowed her, somehow. She rather liked this man; he had a tendency to draw others to him. Whether by words or action or even strength of will alone, she found his charism remarkably contagious, the like of which she herself had never known. The first man not to balk at her beauty, and she couldn't-no matter how hard she tried-expunge him out of her thoughts.

She hadn't been able to eat or sleep for the remainder of the day; if she didn't know better she could've sworn she was falling ill. But that was ridiculous. She rarely ever experienced any sort of illness, even then it was nothing their doctor couldn't cure. It must be in her head. Yes, all in her mind.

_In my mind..._

Absently, she swirled the wine glass in her hand, peering into the white sake within as though she could somehow discern the depths of her unease by staring at her reflection. The visage that greeted her was beautiful, true, but there was sorrow there, lurking within the depths of her crystal orbs. Boa frowned.

_"I'm finally getting off this island tomorrow!" _Naruto's words ran in her mind like a clarion bell. _"Yes! Oh, I can't wait!"_ They'd been plaguing her for several hours now, and she couldn't fathom why. He had held her. Comforted her, as no man ever had. He'd been a slave, too. She felt a strange sort of kinship with him, this Silvers D. Naruto. No, it was more than that. She could feel it even now, in the desire to go down into the village and join him; strangely something held her back from this.

"Tomorrow...

Boa blinked in surprise, alarmed to find tears staining her cheeks, falling into the glass. She touched a finger to her cheek stunned by the realization. She was crying. _Oh no._ A sickening thought swam through her mind and latched down onto her thoughts. No no no no. She didn't want him to leave. But he would leave. And there was nothing she could do to make him stay. Soon, he would be gone. But what did that matter to her? He would leave, and she would never see him again. That would be that, and life would move on, just as it should...

_Tomorrow._

"Yadda." She whispered softly, her voice breaking with the words. "I don't...I don't want him to go...

Scarce had she spoken then a blinding pain erupted in her chest. Hancock cried out, clutching at her heart. It fetl as though a knife had been thrust through her breast cutting through flesh and bone! And yet try as she might she could find no wound. She knew only that her body had begun to burn, and the pain...oh the pain! It was growing worse with each passing second, twisting, warping...

Hancock swooned, her legs buckling, her body collapsing to the floor like a wet towel.

Instantly black cascaded through her mind. She floated...floated away...floated into nothingness. For a fleeting moment, she thought she could hear her siblings screaming.

* * *

><p><em>"Yo-hohoho, Yohohohoo, Yo-hohoho, Yohohohoo, Yo-hohoho, Yohohohoo!"<em>

Naruto grinned as he drew the string for the final time; the whole of the Kuja had joined him by this point, laughing and cheering at his raucous behavior. He could feel the warm burn of sake in his stomach, slowing his motions and dulling his thoughts, but it did little to cull his enthusiasm. When was the last time he'd had this much fun? He couldn't remember. At some point Marguerite must've sidled up to him; he could feel her body brushing up against his, the warmth of her skin spreading through the kimono. Without thinking, he slung an arm round her shoulder and drew her close, raising a glass of sake in toast.

"Whaddya think of that, ladies?!" he crowed triumphantly. Not bad for a man, eh?"

A chrous of laughter greeted his words.

_"Funny! Men are funny!"_

_"One more time!"_

"Oi!" He winced as the crowded him. "Whaddya pinching me for?!"

* * *

><p>Eventually, all that attention became a tad overwhelming. Everyone wanted to touch him, poke him, or see him burst into flames. While the Dark Prince had no problem with the latter, he was not<em>-not not not not!-<em>keen on touching and being touched by so many women! Thankfully, Margaret managed to help him affect a quick escape to Elder Nyon's place at the edge of the village. He'd even managed to drag a rather large haunch of sea king meat with him!

"What's myatter, Margaret?"

"Naruto turned out to be quite popular among the women of the village." she giggled.

The Dark Prince groaned between bites. He had the pinch marks to prove it! Scary! Women were scary creatures indeed! Not only had they wanted to touch him, some had wanted to be picked up, others touched, and a choice few wished to kissed...it was too much for him to take in. And then they wanted to see his Devil Fruit ability...

"Well men are unyusual beings here after all."

Naruto made a squelching sound as he swallowed.

"Oi! I'm not tat unusual, baa-chan!"

"This place is at the cyolerner of the village. Take your time here. And who are you calling baa-chan?!"

"Sorry, you just look like a "baa-chan" to me, ya know?"

"Get him some tea or syomething, Margaret." Nyon waved the amazon away. "He's probably going to get thirsty after eating all that meat...

"Hai!"

"What's that you're reading?" Naruto asked, finally noticing the newspaper in old crone's hands.

"The News Coo don't deliver to the Calm Belt, so its become difficult to get thyese." Nyon explained, turning a page in the paper. "The empress of our kingdom is a Warlord, so wye should at least kyeep up with what's going on in the world." Naruto continued to chew on the meat, but at these words he frowned and forced himself to swallow.

"Who's a warlord?"

Nyon blinked, as though she somehow expected him to know this.

"Hebihime."

There was a silence.

"EH?!" Naruto gawped. "She's a shichibukai?! Why didn't anyone tell me this?!"

"Don't you read the nyewspapers?" Nyon asked.

"Nope." the blond shook his head. "How was I supposed to know something like that!"

"Hebihime became the empress of this kingdom and captain of the Kuja Pirates eleven years ago. She was still so young, but after just one voyage, a bounty of eighty million was put on her head. That, and along with the bad reputation the Kuja had already earned, made the World Government wary of her right away, and they offered her a position as a Warlord."

"Here's some tea." Naruto blinked as Margaret set down a glass upon the table.

"But now that title is in danger of being lost, because...

Naruto blinked.

"Because?

* * *

><p>"NANDA?!"<p>

Naruto's shout was loud enough to be heard halfway across Amazon Lily.

"The Shichibukai and Marine Headquarters are going to do battle with Whitebeard?! Are they insane?!" He knew enough about the world's strongest man from what Rayleigh had told him; just as he knew to face such a titan was tantamount to suicide. "When did this happpen?!

"Before I say anything else, nyou should look at this, Naruto." Elder Nyon offered him the newpaper she'd been reading. "There is something nyou should see."

"Hmm?" The Dark Prince accepted it with some confusion. "I don't see what could be more important than Shirohige starting a war-GAH?!"

Naruto blew a smoke ring and promptly passed out.

What's wrong, Naruto?" Marguerite leaned over his shoulder.

With trembling fingers, the blond showed her the page.

_WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE!_

_"DARK PRINCE" Silvers D. Naruto. For the crime of assaulting a marine admiral, slaying a Tenryubito and being the son of Silvers Rayleigh..._

And bellow that, the dreaded bounty amount with all those zeroes...

_"Six hundred sixty six million?!"_ Margaret gawped! "Y-You've got a bounty that high?!"

Naruto stared at the newspaper for a long moment, his jaw agape, horror mounting. Oh no. No no no no! This wasn't happening! This **couldn't** be happening! He was staring at his own likeness, visage curled up into a cruel sneer, his body sheathed in black flames, wreathed in terrible power. It didn't take him long at all to realize someone must've photographed him in Saboady whilst he was fighting Kizaru. Most likely a marine. The damned bastard!

Over! His humble life as a ship coater was over!

**_OVER!_**

"But there's more!"

Naruto bit back a groan at Elder Nyon's announcement. What could possibly be worse than discovering he had a bounty on his head? Reluctantly, he picked himself up off the floor and began to listen.

"Although its only speculation at the moment, the battle will certainly happen sooner or later." Nyon glanced back to the newspaper. "And it would seem that the World Government has made the first move. Whitebeard is a man who would never allow his comrades to be killed. Even though they know that, they have announced the public exeuction of Whitebeard's elite subourdinate, Portgas D. Ace!" Naruto felt the blood blaze like hot flame in his veins at the mention of that name.

_Ace..._

Luffy's brother; _he_ was the one who killed Itachi. He was the man who took _his_ brother away from him. The details of their squabble remained sketchy, but he knew what he'd seen. Itachi dead, with Ace's hand through his chest. Ironically, Naruto held the power of two Devil Fruits as a result of that death; his own, the Goka Goka no mi, and Itachi's unamed fruit. To this day, he was still discovering just what manner of power his older brother had wielded; the foster brother that Fire Fist Ace took away from him. He was Luffy's brother.

On some level Naruto knew it wasn't right to just snuff out Ace's life for an old sin; it would surely make Luffy suffer. Wherever the rubberman was now, he was surely fighting against whatever forces that held his elder sibling captive, with all his might.

Even so, he had sworn vengeance against that man.

Undauted and unaware of the raging turmoil taking place within the young prince, Nyon continued, "I heard that a pirate called Blackbeard managed to join the warlords by captuing Fire Fist Ace. The World Goverment intends to take full advantage...

"Baa-chan."

...of this large chip...

_"Baa-chan."_

... they've gained against Whitebeard-

**"BAA-CHAN!"** The ceramic cup shattered in Naruto's hand, spraying tea in every direction. Margaret yelped. Nyon gawped. Gawped; as Naruto lurched forward to seize her by the shoulders, his fingers smoldering with tongues of impotent white flame. "He killed my big brother! He _killed_ Itachi-nii-san!" he snarled, shaking her roughly. "I have to be the one to take revenge! Me! Not the marines!"

"What?!" Nyon gasped. "You were related to that man?!"

Naruto drew back with an exasperated hiss.

His 'brother' had been a great marine and an even greater influence upon his life. A vice-admiral at the age of twelve, everyone thought the man had been destined for greatness. Itachi of the Moon's Eye, they'd called him. Rumour had it you could die just by looking him in the eye. That had been years before they'd first met on Saboady Archipeligo. Naruto, recently rescued from the hands of the World Nobles, had been despondent with his life and the world by that point-he'd even tried to take his life several times-when they'd first met. Unbidden, he flashed back to the words that had turned his-then-young life around.

_"Its easy to die."_ those had been his words. _"But it takes strength to live."_

_"But I'm not strong." he'd protested. "I'm...weak."_

_...then I will make you strong."_

Itachi's promotion to admiral was all but ensured, back then. He'd stopped by Sabaody to restock food and water for his crew. But for some reason upon their meeting, he'd done the unthinkable. Without so much as a single explanation, he'd retured to the harbour, slaughtered his crew to the last man, scuttled his vessel and simply left the marines. To this day Naruto couldn't understand it. What had Itachi seen in him that day that made him give up such a promising career? His family? His future?

For the next decade, that man never left Saboady Archipeligo. Not once. It was during that time that Naruto discovered the Goka Goka no mi; it had been during one of his many ill-fated attacks on the Auction House. Loathing the World Goverment for their tolerance of slavery, he'd taken it upon himself-under Itachi's training-to sabatoge the slave trade in whatever way he could. During this particular attempt, he'd happened upon a rather piece of fruit left unguarded in a chest. Without a second he devoured it and subsuquently wroudh havoc on the slavers; thankfully a tenryubito hadn't been present that day, else, his exploits would've almost certainly gotten him killed. As it were, he'd managed to free dozens of slaves before someone finally had the gall to call the marines.

By then he'd already dissapeared back into the groves, certain he would be praised for what he saw as being a _true _hero of justice.

Shakky and Itachi had scolded him for such reckless behavior, but when the latter took him aside and _congratulated_ him some hours later, he felt his heart glow with warmth and admiration. Once he realized his 'little brother' had eaten the Hellfire fruit, he'd taken it upon himself to make certain he mastered it.

Naruto looked back on those days fondly: Raiyleigh and Shakky might've been his real parents, but Itachi was his brother in all but blood. And then Ace murdered him. Cut him down. He would never forget that terrible day. It had been raining outside, and he'd come home to an empty house; not surprising, consider Rayleigh's coating business involved him disappearing for hours on end, whilst Shakky's bar often required her to catch what little sleep she could, whe she could.

Then he'd seen them. Not Rayleigh, or Shakky. Itachi. And a man in an orange hat-roughly a few years younger than him-his smoldering fist thrust through Itachi's chest. He remebered looking on in shock, then horror as the stranger tore his bloodsoaked arm from Itachi's chest. There were tears in his eyes that day.

_"Why...Why did you kill him?!"_

_"He told me to!"_

_"LIAR!" _

The culprit had barely escaped with his life that day, but he'd gotte away regardless. Naruto would later learn the murderer's identity. Fire Fist Ace. A pirate. And in Naruto's experience, all pirates were born liars. All of them! But he refused to dwell on that now. He chose happier memories instead.

Naruto had loved Itachi. Loved him like a brother. The only thing that kept him from joining the marines in emulation of his sibling was the knowledge that _they_ served the Tenryubito, whom he wanted dead more than anything else. Sanji might have claimed that the Dark Prince had no dream, but he did. His dream was to topple the World Goverment, the goverment that let cast Itachi out and then covered up his death, labeling him as a traitor and his demise as an accident.

"Where will Ace be executed?!" Naruto demanded to know! He wouldn't let this chance slip away! Even if, it meant infamy! Or worse, death!

"Hmm," Nyon returned her attention to the newspaper, "It says it will take place in the plaza of Marineford, where the navy hq resides, in a week, which would be six days from today."

"That's too soon!" Naruto exclaimed! "How long does it take to get to the Archipeligo from here?"

"Well, I think it takes more than a week...

"If it takes that long, he'll be dead before I get home! How long would it take to get where he is from here?!"

"Impel Down is where he's imprisoned. It would take a week by pirate ship. Or four days by a navy ship.

"Then-

"But!" Nyon interrupted! "There was a recent break by another infamous pirate: Monkey D. Luffy!"

"Luffy?!" Naruto forcibly bit his hand to keep himself from shouting. "That idiot!" He knew at once where the rubberman had landed. Impel Down! Kuma must've sent him there!

"No one knows exactly how he made it into Impel Down." Nyon peered at the page, "But it says here he was poisoned by the warden and confined to one of the lowest levels of the prison. He's almost certainly dead by now, or if not, he soon will be. They're refusing to allow anyone into the prison until the time of Ace's execution."

"So they haven't moved up the date?" Naruto mused, taking his teeth from his hand. Now that he'd calmed down, his mind was beginning to work again. Surprisingly, he felt a pang of sorrow for Luffy. The kid might've gotten on his nerves, but no one deserved to die alone like that.

"Luffy...

There was no way he would make it into Impel Down. Not with all that security. Which meant his only chance of taking revenge was when the marines finally released him for execution. At Marineford. There was bound to be even more security there, the three admirals and the warlords...

_That's it!_

It was a crazy plan, but it just might work!

"Naruto?" Margaret must've noticed his smile; because it was positively beatific.

"Why are nyou smiling?" Nyon frowned.

He told them his plan.

"You know how reckless this is," Nyon warned once he'd finished explaining this. "And how big this battle is going to be, right? It's as futile as a single ant jumping into a storm. You might get cast aside without even a chance of doing anything."

Naruto shook his head.

"Even so, I have to do this. I have to go...to Marineford!"

Nyon sighed.

"Until now, Hebihime has obstinately refused to answer the call for the warlords to assemble. If she were to respond, she could take advantage of it and use her status to aid you in your plan and sneak you aboard their battleship. There's a slim chance of it, but you just might succeed. But once nyou get on that ship, there will be nyo turning back! Nyou might be shot as soon as they see you!

"Well damn!" Naruto nearly laughed at this devilish luck. "You mean there's actually a navy ship here?!"

"Nyes." she conceded.

"Then there's no need to worry," Naruto grinned. "With my ability, I won't die easily. I'll come back as many times as I have to! I'll even sell my soul if that's what it takes!"

"Alright, alright!" Nyon sighed. "I suppose you should go ask Hebihime herself. If there's anyone she'll listen to, its you."

* * *

><p>Everything started to go awry the moment they reached the palace.<p>

A young amazon all but bowled them over the moment the doors opened. She appeared visibly relieved to see Nyon; although she practically ignored Naruto. Everything about suggested haste; she was covered in cold sweat, her pupils wided and dialated with fear.

"Nyon-sama!"

"What's wrong, Enshida? What's your rush?"

"Thank kami!" She heaved a heavy breath. "I was just on my way to get you! "

Naruto felt an familiar dread settle in his stomach. He didn't like the sound of this.

"Did something happen?"

"Its...," Enshida heaved a deep breath, struggling to compose herself. "Hebihime-sama...has collapsed from some unknown disease!"

"Collapsed?!"

"Whyat did you say?!"

* * *

><p>"Nyou stay here." the old crone warded Naruto off with her stick almost as soon as they entered the room. "I will go see what is troubling Hebihime."<p>

Much to her surprise, the man went without a word of protest. It was almost as if he recognized the direness of the situation. She waited until he had closed chamber doors behind him before approaching the bed. Sure enough the great Hebihime lay there, weak as a newborn kitten. Her face was flushed with sweat; her breath came in small, short, feverish gasps. As the late-late-late empress drew closer, the current empress actually sobbed in agony, such was her strain.

"It's...painful...

"She's been grasping her chest the whole time," the doctor informed her, despondent. "So I thought there might be a problem with her heart, but...I couldn't figure it out. I've never seen symptoms like these before. I have no idea which or what to use. She hasn't eaten anything either...and she looks like she's in so much pain...

Nyon pursed her lips in thought.

"Tomorrow morning...

Boa lurched upward, her back arching in agony.

Elder Nyon frowned. _Could it be...?!_

"Na-

"Ah!" Hancock moaned!

"Sil-

"Nggh!" Hebihime all but writhed in agony.

"Stop teasing her, Nyon-sama!" Sonia and Mari cried. "You're making her suffer even more!"

"I am nyot teasing her!" She slapped a hand to her forehead. "I see...to think this would happen again! Damn this virus for attacking at such an inconvenient time!"

"Virus?"

"Do you know what it is?"

Hancock's eyes fluttered open.

"Elder...it hurts so much! Am I...am I going to die?"

"Yes, you will die." Nyon replied.

"What the hell are you saying?!" Her sisters were all but distraught.

"The previous empress...died because of this as well. As did the one before her. In fact, I was once infected by the same disease, so I left the kingdom. That's how I managed to survive it. But we cannot ask Hebihime to do the same as I have done...it's already too late for that." She heaved a heavy sigh and returned her attention to Hancock once more. "Listen well, girl. I have brought Silvers D. Naruto with me. He is here, waiting just ouside these doors. Will you see him?"

A glimmer of strength returned to Hancock's gaze.

"I...will."

"Then I shall fetch him." Without another word, she turned toward the door. "In the meantime, Sonia, Mari. Get everyone out of this castle. Including yourselves."

"Nani?"

"Just do as I say!"

"H-Hai!"

* * *

><p>Hancock's castle was empty: Even the doctors had been sent away. The night was falling.<p>

As far as everyone knew, Boa Hancock would die. There was no cure known for her sickness, for the disease that had taken the lives of so many Amazon Lily empresses in the past. Hancock herself did not know the cure, and neither did Silvers D. Naruto, the only male on the entire island. But both of them could guess.

And now, one of them knew.

"Hah?!" Naruto gawped. "I have to do what?!"

He stood before the doors leading to Hancock's room, glaring bloody red daggers at Elder Nyon; having just been informed of the one and _only_ way to cure the fatal sickness that had infected Boa Hancock. A disease that would certainly take her life, if he did not act soon. To say he was irate was an understatement.

"I refuse!" he growled.

"If nyou do not do something to cure her of this love-sickness then nyou will not have a ride to Marineford!" Elder Nyon snapped, smacking him with her stick. "It is _nyou_ who first caused this disease to rear its head in the first place! It is _nyour_ responsibility!"

"Tch!" Naruto snorted, folding his arms. "Do you have any idea what you're asking me to do? You're telling me to lower my barriers and just...do that! With someone! Someone I barely even know! Do you have any at all idea how hard that is for me?! After what I've been through?!"

The old woman said nothing; she merely peered at him with those cold, steely eyes.

Naruto muttered something inarticulate.

"Ora!" With a snarl he kicked down the doors, exposing a stunned Sandersonia and an equally baffled Marigold beyond. He marched right past them without so much as a word, pausing only when he stood before Boa's bed. Quietly, so as not to disturb her, he sat down, his weight causing the large matress to creak ever so slightly.

"What's he doing here?" Sonia wondered aloud.

"He's going to cure her of course."

"Men can do that?" Mari blinked.

"Nyo, this is only something Naruto can do."

The sisters exchanged a glance.

"But-

"Nyou should leave." Elder Nyon said to Sonia and Mari. "This is not something nyou'd like to see." Without another word she ushered them out; for a woman of her stature, she was remarkably effective when it came to clearing a room. Within moments Naruto found himself alone with the empress. Alone. The thought sent a sudden jolt up his spine causing him to sit erect. The motion caused Hanock to stir. Ever so slowly, her eyes opened fluttered open and Naruto nearly gasped. Her gaze was weak and ferverish; she was a mere shell of her former self.

"Naruto," She gasped out, her bright blue eyes fluttering open. "Is that you?"

"Yeah." he squeezed her hand,tried not to flinch at the appalling chill there. "I'm here."

"Am I...going to die?" her voice was tiny and for the first time since he'd laid eyes on her she suddenly she seemed very small and very, very afraid.

"No." He shook his head. "You're not going to die; because," he swallowed, gulping nervously. "B-Because I'm about to cure you, Hancock." He slid a hand up the ridges of her spine and into her hair, fisting the strands and urging her to close the rest of the distance. Boa whimpered, her face aflush; was it the fever or...was it something else.

"N-Naruto...

"Close your eyes." he whispered.

She complied.

He hovered over her for another second, fighting back painful memories; those two awful years of pain rearing their ugly heads. He roared at them and they retreated into a corner, cowering. Steeling himself, the Dark Prince pulled his body the rest of the way onto the bed, took a deep breath...

And closed the distance.

He pressed his lips against hers. Lips so different from his own; softer, as soft as rose petals, fuller, holding him in thrall at very first brush. He pulled back, marveling, and then he went in again...marveled anew at the decadence of her...then again, and this time, moaning, she opened for him.

Her tongue rolled against his, bringing with it the tastes of summer: berries dipped in cream, newly blooming roses and sultry midnights. He dipped lower still, face brushing against hers and she came alive in his arms; lurching up from the bed to meet him, wrapping her arms round his neck with a planitive cry. As focused on her as he was, he was able to follow her lead. When her tongue thrust, he knew to meet it. When her tongue retreated, he knew to chase it. He relished every new experience, growling with a sudden desire for more. More..._everything._

Her fingers slicked through his hair, decadent sensations dancing over his scalp, tickling skin that had never before been touched by another's hands.

"Up?" An inquiry.

When she failed to immediately respond, Naruto cupped her bottom and lifted her, forcing her to straddle him, settle her weight against him. And oh, sweet heavens, _yes, _that was exactly what he'd needed. Pleasure rocketed through him, a beautiful sort of torture. She moaned into his mouth, her nails sinking into his scalp, as if to hold him in place. As if she worried he would try to get away. Never would he do such a thing. He was lost, tied only to the woman in his lap and glad for it. Except...

Except the new position was no longer the blessing he'd thought.

"Hancock." He _hurt _and needed some kind of relief. But no matter how much he might want that, he couldn't bring himself to do something she wouldn't want. He just couldn't. Even nearly decades later, almost twenty years after the Mariejoa incident he was still quite squeamish when it came to touch, let alone intimacy. After what had happened, who could blame him? And Hancock, she had endured those very same horros for even longer. Frankly, was a miracle she hadn't recoiled after that first kiss.

"Naruto."

Hearing his name on her lips, uttered so breathlessly, filled him with a sense of possession. _Mine._ And still, he held himself back. "Are you...alright?" He waited for her to respond. But she didn't and he had to flatten his hands on her hips to keep himself from trying to caress her everywhere at once. He knew without speaking that she would hate that. She was not a piece of meat to be ogled. She was a woman to be loved; someone in desperate need of that love. He would give it-gladly-if she asked. If she refused...

"What kind of alright do you mean?" she whispered.

"What?" Naruto blinked, taken aback her words momentarily piercing the fog of lust clouding his mind. What did she mean by that? Oh. A tremor moved through her. A tremor of apprehension? _Oooh._ Boa was afraid, of him, or if not him, than of something. That wouldn't do. That wouldn't do at all. His hand moved seemingly of its own accord, reaching up to cup her cheek, guiding her face down to his own. He nuzzled his nose against hers, reveling in the warmth sensation that spread through his chest with the motion. Such a simple gesture, and yet he saw it put her almost immediately at ease. Her grip intensified upon him but this time it wasn't a jolt of fear that caused it but rather, desire.

"What do _you_ think I mean?" he posed a question of his own.

"I think...She squirmed a moment, restless. "You should rock into me." she said, clearly just as uncomfortable as he. "Please." A veritable plea. Naruto flushed.

"Okay. All right. Yes."

Rock into...yes. As they kissed and kissed and kissed, he arched against her. Forward, back, seeking, retreating. Every point of contact wrung a groan from her and a growl from him. The pleasure blurred with pain, as unbearable as it was neccessary. How had gone without this for so long? How had he resisted this? This sense of connection...Naruto had never experienced its like, even during his tenuous time with Camie. In this new moment he wasn't just Silvers D. Naruto, he was Hancock's man and he was suddenly, intensely glad for it.

Her breasts smashed against his chest, causing a brand-new ache. He wanted to feel her against him, skin to skin, no barriers. He released her long enough to rip his coat down the middle and jerk his arms free of the fabric, allowing what was left to flutter to the floor. He thought to do the same to Hancock's nightgarment; indeed, his fingers tightened around the hem of her shirt before he could think to stop them and began tearing free the fabric-

"Wait!" Hancock all but yelped.

Naruto froze, his entire body rigid.

"I," Hancock fumbled with the words. "Gentle." She whispered, her breath breezing over his face. "Please...be gentle."

Naruto had no words for that; he couldn't have found them even if he tried. Instead, he nodded.

He released one hand from captivity to lift the hem of her shirt. She raised her arms and took her lips from his, allowing him to pull the remainder of the garment the rest of the way over her head. Hancock's skin was a mesmerizing shade of alabaster and his a lighter tan; it was such a delicious contrast, inflaming the spark of desire to yet another feverish degree.

She was beautiful. Oh, was she beautiful.

Naruto was shaking as he cupped her breasts, marveling that they could be so heavy and yet so soft. He was struck by the sudden urge to kiss them. He acted upon that urge. Hancock arched her back with a surprised gasp and his mind fogged with more of the glorious pleasure as he dipped down and kissed one side of her, then the other. In response she lifted her knees and grabbed him, dragging him to the bed-to her-and settled against him, then her lips were clashing agains this yet again. The exquisite pleasure-pain of the sensation had him sucking in a breath.

"More." She begged between kisses; gone was the haughty empress of this afternoon, in her place was a young woman begging for affection. Affection he would gladly give.

He cupped her breast, paused, waiting for her reaction. She moaned at the pleasure, thrilling him. His hand began to burn, burn so deliciously hotter than the rest of him as he kneaded her. _Care,_ he cautioned himself, _take care..._

Another moan left her.

_Yessss. More._

"Your skin is like fire." she said on a moan.

"Bad?" Naruto hesistated. He hadn't burnt her, had he?

_"Wonderful." _Hancock shook her head, tossing her glorious curtain of raven tresses behind her back, spooling out beneath her in a curtain of shadow. Naruto tightened his grip on her breast, allowed his fingers to trace over the little pink bead in the center again and again. He contented himself with this, Hancock's cries growing more and more frantic, until finally he felt her hand upon his wrist.

"Kiss." she hissed, her voice leaden with desire.

Naruto hesitated, hanging over her like a ancient god. Though Hancock panted and mewled, she never turned from him or tried to shove him away. Her gaze remained fixed with his; on occassion she would wander to see the scars on his bare chest and forearms. Though she seemed fascinated by them, she never once asked how he'd acquired them. She did not ask him, nor did she press him. A lone tear trickled down his right eye before dissipating into harmless steam. Not even once had he ever considered being intimate with anyone. He'd always thought himself too jaded after the Tenryubito had gotten their hands on him. Hancock must have shared his sentiment; because he felt the grip on his wrist slacken, slide, until her fingers wer intertwining with his.

"Alright."

He bent to kiss her again, and was reminded once more of the bond they shared.

Her fingers tangled in his hair, angling his head for deeper, better contact. On and on, this new hotter kiss continued, until they were biting at each other, moaning and groaning and saying incoherent things. He wanted more, so much more, and his muscles bunched and knotted from the strain of holding back. He could feel the flames boiling beneath his skin, seekiing release, and it was all he could do to keep in check. He wouldn't be the one to lose control. He would not-_oh dear kami._

Boa began to rock against him, her entire body rubbing, rubbing, rubbing against his. He was desperate to get closer to her, and the intensity of it-of his needs-frightened him. As close as a man could be with a woman, with anyone. Wanted it, needed it so badly. Even so, he couldn't say he was _entirely _prepared when he felt her fingers twist against his jeans; even less so when she tore them aside in the same viscious movement he'd nearly done unto her. Thank kami he was still wearing those boxers.

"Gentle, huh?" Naruto arched an eyebrow.

"Awful," Hancock groaned, her words dripping with need, "You're awful." Her gaze flicked down to the last article of clothing she wore in an unspoken question. Naruto felt his fingers, burning only moments before, turn to ice. She wanted him to...to...oh dear.

Very carefully, he dragged his hands along the plane of her stomach and untied her pants. Her cries of approval did not cease, so, he allowed his fingers to tunnel down...down...Boa wasn't wearing any panties. Naruto nearly froze that same instant, her hands took hold of his boxers and-mercifully, slid them off his legs. Naruto's eyebrows jumped so high they nearly dominated the entire length of his forehead. Hancock gave a small squeak-adorable!-as she beheld the size of his length.

Cheeks rosy, she asked:

"Do you...?" She paused. "I mean...are you?"She wasn't expressing concern for what was about to happen, but concern for his mindset. Somehow that decided things for Naruto. The last sliver of himself that he'd been holding back from her, that one tiny, all but invisible piece he'd kept locked away, was now irrevocably hers. It belonged to her. Alongside his heart. Without thinking, he ignited the fingers of his right hand, wreathing it in gentle flame, not the dreaded black Amateratsu, but a lesser fire.

"Turn around."

"Nani?"

"I'm going to touch your back." He warned. "This may hurt a bit."

Hancock blinked but once, her eyes widening in confusion as Naruto lowered his enflamed hands towards her back. Then she whimpered, wincing, as the imrpomptu brand seared across her skin. Naruto traced over the hoof with one finger, then another, carving not the symbol of the sun, but a swirling spiral over the cold and cruel mark of the celestial dragon. When he was finally, finished he drew black, dismissing the dark flame off his hand with an errant gesture.

"There." He smiled at the crimson spiral, a symbol that had been familiar to him since birth. Hancock craned her neck over her shoulder, gasped when she realized the hoof of the tenryubito was no longer present. She straightened, glossing over it with her fingers, alarmed to find it no longer seared nor stung at her touch. As if it had always bee there.

"Why did you...?"

"You're beautiful." the words escaped him in a rush, fleeing from his lips before he could take them back. "Now, you'll never have reason to doubt it ever again."

Her eyes flew wide in surprise. Then they began to water. Slowly, she smiled.

"How foolish of me," A touch of her old haughtiness crept back into her tone, "Had I been told this morning I would willingly yield my virginity to the son of the Dark King in less than a days time, I might have been just a tad skeptical. Were to know he were this devilishly handsome...perhaps I wouldn't mind him being my first." She opened her legs for him in silent offering unable to meet his attention with her own despite her utmost attempts to the contrary.

"F-First?" Naruto did not guffaw; he _gawped._ "You mean-?"

"Y-Yes." Just like that her empress persona was gone; Boa was once more the blushing vixen beneath his gaze. "Is this your...?"

Naruto couldn't help himself; a small geyser of black flame burst from his ears as he nodded, one that was just as quickly quelled. To think they'd both be virgins...

"You first." She whispered.

Naruto gulped and slowly lined himself with her sheathe.

"This...might hurt."

Hancock bit her lip and nodded.

Inch by decadent inch he sank into her, claiming her, branding her. When at last he was all the way in, he stilled, strain branching from the corners of his eyes. He felt rather than saw those orbs flash crimson; searing like the flames of hell he so desperately held in check. The sight of them did not seem to disturb Hancock in the least; she chose that moment to smile and it was the most beatific thing he'd ever seen. He could barely bring himself to speak.

"Holy...

"Hmmm," she purred, "Naruto-kun...

The Dark Prince had to forcibly clench his jaw to keep it from falling off his face. Did Hancock have any notion how damned _sexy_ she'd sounded just then? His lips found hers, their tongues meeting in a tangled clahs of intimacy. His hands rediscovered her breasts, kneading.

"You feel so good."

"Yes, but...?"

"More?"

"Please."

"Like this?" He moved slowly at first, uncertain.

Hancock shuddered, quivering with delight.

"Yes, please. Yes yes yes _yes_ exactly like that."

He moved faster. Faster still. Finally all she could do was wrap her legs around his waist and hold on. He chanted her name over and over, a prayer, a curse, a _moooan_ he couldn't quite contain. She groaned with sheer pleasure. Every moment, every movement, was perfect, utterly soul changing.

"Hancock...I'm...I'm going to...to have to...

"Everything!" She gasped, her voice building into a keen of utter ecstasy. "Give me everything!"

A roar left him, his entire body bowing. He hit her as deep as he could possibly go, so wonderfully deep, and yet still she arched up and tried to take him deeper. As he shuddered with completion, satisfactioun found her and she cried out, holding him tight...holding on forever. Even minutes later, when he fell upon her, heavy and lax, she refused to let go. When he rolled over, he took her with him and she ended up sprawled on his chest.

"That was..." He began, but lack of breath stole the words from him.

"Oh," she breathed, sounding surprised. "Oh!" her cheeks darkened, her face flushing a shameful pink as her mind finally caught up with her body's reaction. To what they had done. She squirmed, not to get away from him but _closer_ to him burying her head in his chest. She stayed like that for a long moment, as though she could somehow shelter herself from scrutiny so long as she refused to look at him. Naruto was suddenly struck by how adorable she was, felt his lips curling in a small smile.

"Hancock...

"Hai?"

"I have a request."

Slowly she raised her gaze.

"Name it."

"Its about that ride you were going to give me," he began slowly. "I'd...like to change the destination."

"Anything." Hancock snuggled closer to him, her body spooning against his. "Whatever you want I'll gladly give. Be it a ship, a meal, or even myself." Naruto shivered. From here on out, everything was a huge gamble; all risk and little reward. He found he genuinely cared for Hancock now, and the thought of drawing her into this-into his vengeance-pained him to his core. But he simply couldn't bear to let the world government have their way. For a moment, he held her tight, knowing that whatever he said next might shatter these feelings they'd begun to share.

"I need you to take me to Marineford."

She blinked, momentarily taken aback.

"You...You're asking me to answer the summons of the warlords?"

"If its too much, I understand."

There was a moment of silence as Hancock chewed her lower lip.

"If that is what you wish...

"You don't have to-

...then I would follow you anywhere!"

Naruto couldn't help himself; he began to laugh.

"Really?!"

"Yes, really. However, I too have a favor to ask." Naruto blinked, his question trailing off into a grunt of surprise as Hancock shook the covers off and sat up, straddling him. She flushed, her courage faltering in the face of his disbelieving stare. "Would you...l-like to go again?"

Naruto found himself momentarily in awe; Hancock wanted him inside her. Again. He felt his member twitch in anticipation.

"Babe, I thought you'd never ask...

* * *

><p>"What is the matter with me?" Hancock wondered aloud sometime later. "I do not wish to refuse Naruto's request...so I said I would answer the summons. Even so, I do not feel bad about it!" She could still feel a faint burn in her cheeks, but it was a pleasant one; not a thing like the fever she'd just fought off. Naruto had since left her bed once he was certain she was alright; her people were none the wiser. All save Elder Nyon, who stood before her now, a smug smile adjourning her wrinkled face. Hancock had reluctantly dressed herself after their second love-making, and already, she felt herself hungry for another. For him.<p>

"That is love!"

"Love?"

"The pain of yearning for the one whom you cannot see will weaken you until you eventually die." Nyon explained. "The previous empresses all fell in love, yet as empresses, they had no choice but to repress their each of their feelings and remain on the island. The pain from their suppressed feelings began to hurt them and eventually cliaimed their lives. However, your decision to go with that man will save your life! By answering the summons and maintaining your position as a Warlord, you will ensure the country's safety as well as help your beloved."

"B-B-B-Beloved?" Hancock sputtered. She hadn't dared to think of Naruto as such...

"That is what he is to you, is he nyot?" The old woman gave her a sly smile; and that was when Hancock realized it. She knew.

Idly, she thought back to what Naruto had said to her after they'd had each other for a second time. Of their discussion, brief and tenuous though it was.

_"But why do you wish to go to Marineford?" she'd asked._

_And so he told told her. Both of his past with Ace, and his inane plane to gain entry to the most secure headquarters in the world. He still wasn't sure whether he wanted to save Ace for Luffy's sake, or kill him for that of his own. He was certain of one thing, however. She remembered flushing as he cupped her cheek, before planting a chaste kiss on her lips._

_"I won't let anything happen to you."_

Hancock almost giggled. Love! She was in love! In love with Naruto! She'd never heard of such a thing before! Such a wonderful, indescripable feeling...

"I think I'll go see how he's doing." Without another word she all but skipped from the bed towards the door. "Naruto-kuuuun~! Where are youuuuu..."

"Hebihime, nyou cannot go out dressed like that!" Nyon gawped in disbelief. "Nyou need to tell the government you're answering their summons first!"

Hancock paused just long enough to snatch up a purple dress and her coat alongside a Den-Den-Mush. Then she was gone, donning the former and throwing the latter over it in a matter of mere moments.

Nyon shook her head in disbelief. In less than a day, this man had managed to melt the heart of possibly the coldest woman on earth. Hancock was hopelessly and irrevocably in love with him now, and nothing in this world nor the next could change that. She only hoped Naruto would never do anything to break her heart.

"I wonder, what star was that man born under?"

* * *

><p>Vice Admiral Momonga was still nursing his wound when the Den-Den-Mushi rang.<p>

_Blip-Blip-Blip-Ga-chack._

"It is I." Hancock's proud voice replied through the transceiver.

"Boa Hancock?"

"I have decided to respond to the call to assemble." came her silken reply. "However, I have one condition. If you cannot meet this condition...

Momonga frowned.

"Go ahead and tell me this "condition" of yours."

"There is someone I wish for you to meet. You will hear what he has to say before you take any action against him."

Momonga didn't hestiate.

"Verty well then. I await your arrival."

* * *

><p>Some hours later, he discovered just who this someone was. Scarce had Boan Hancock disembarked than another arrived beside her. He wore the white cape of the Kuja over his broad shoulders but that was where all resemblance ended. He bore a black vest beneath, crimson slacks the color of blood, bore a single katana at his side. Ultimately, it was his face, that attracted the most attention. Here was the face of the newly wanted "Dark Prince" himself, standing here before him.<p>

"Silvers D. Naruto?!"

"Its a pleasure to meet you, Momonga-san." Naruto grinned, exposing his teeth as the man went for his blade. In an instant he'd drawn his own to meet him, steel clashed against steel as their weapons struck, spitting sparks against the deck. A booted foot barreled into his stomach, driving them apart.

"Why are you here?!" He glared at Hancock. "Is this the individual you spoke of, Hancock?!"

Boa merely smiled.

The Dark Prince reared his head and grinned a ferocious grin.

"Why, I'm here to lend you the power of _hell,_ Vice-admiral."

"Speak clearly!"

"Gladly." Naruto grinned and disengaged with a flourish, sheathing his sword in a swift movement. "I'll be frank. I have an offer for you, Momonga-san. One you can't afford to take lightly. You see...

_...I've come to offer the World Government my services as a Shichibukai."_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: FWAH! Suuuuch a long chapter! My eyes are KILLING ME! Although, being a skeleton...I HAVE NO EYES! YOHO! Now let us clarify some things. Pascia is not an OC of mine! She DOES exist in the One Piece world and is a former slave! Just look her up on the one piece wikia if you're curious for more. Getting a lap dance for saving a damsel in distress, ah, what could be better than that I wonder? How about banging the pirate empress? Naruto's getting an awful lot of lovely ladies, isn't he? This lemon was hard to write, ad left my ears burning! Hope you liked it!**

**And now start to see just why he loathes pirates in this story...his best friend and foster brother-Itachi-was killed by one! By...ACE?! What devilry is this?! Does he really mean to ensure the death of Luffy's brother by offering his services as a Shichibukai in the coming War Of The Best? Or does our infamous trickster have something else up his sleeve? Does he mean to deceive the marines aiding Luffy by betraying them and possibly ally WITH Fire Fist Ace as their fathers once did?! Regardless, he certainly seems cocky... Stay tuned to find out!**

**Next time: Flames of Hellfire! The War of the Best begins?!**

**Oh, and please don't forget to review until my ears fall off. Although, being a skeleton...I have no ears to listen! YOHOHOHOHO! SKUUUUUULLL JOOOOOKE! And just for those of you who might be wondering what the devil the english lyrics for Brook's Sake are...here ya go:**

_Going to deliver Binks' Sake! Following the sea breeze! Riding on the waves! Far across the salty depths! The merry evening sun! Painting circles in the sky as the Birds Sing Farewell to the harbor, To my old hometown Lets all sing out with a don! As the ship sets sail Waves of gold and silver dissolve to salty spray_

_As we all set sail to the ends of the to deliver Binks' Sake! We are pirates sailing through the Sea! The waves are our pillows, The ship our roost Flying the proud skulls on our flags and our sails_

_Now comes a storm through the far-off sky Now the waves are dancing, Beat upon the drums If you lose your nerve this breath could be your last But if you just hold on, The morning sun will rise_

_Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho,_

_Going to deliver Binks' Sake! Today, and tomorrow, our dreams through the night! Waving our goodbyes, we'll never meet again! But don't look so down, For at night the moon will rise!_

_Going to deliver Binks' Sake! Let's all sing it with a don! A song of the waves Doesn't matter who you are, Someday you'll just be bones Never-Ending, Ever-wandering, Our funny Traveling tale!_

_Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho, Yo-hohoho!_

**Translation: Houou= Phoenix.**

**As I said, I worked uber hardo this chapter and the lemon. I really hope you guys and gals liked it!**

**S****o...in the immortal words of Atlas...**

**...Review, would you kindly? **

**R&R! =D**


	8. War of the Best Part I

**A/N: Onward I say! I'm on an updating spree! And Prince of Darkness is next on that List! Followed by Passing the Torch. I have no idea why, but after watching the newest One Piece Movie, I am on a One Piece craze! Something big is going to happen during this chappy, I promise you that! I'd tell you, but it'd spoil the story And with that...**

**...let the long awaited rebirth of this story continue! Onward with Prince of Darkness!**

_"I am not going to kill you. That is a honour reserved for my beloved...and he will take this honour soon!"_

_~Boa Hancock._

** War of the Best Part I**

_"Open the gates to Marineford!"_

Vice Admiral Momonga relayed the order through the Den-Den-Mushi; seconds later, the fog-shrouded gate began to creak open before them. After five days of continuous non-stop travel they'd arrived at headquarters with only three hours to spare. Portgas D. Ace would be executed soon; which meant Whitebeard could attack at any moment. Time was off the essence. He waited impatiently as the gate of justice began to creak open for them, allowing the current to usher them through.

Then, and only then, did he return his gaze to the man responsible for this. Silvers D. Naruto. Despite the vehement protest of the Tenryubito, the World Government had accepted his generous offer; the man was now officially part of the Shichibukai. With Teach's unexpected betrayal and Jinbei's refusal to return, they'd been hard-pressed to refuse in the first place. And this man was just the one for the job; one of the last remnants of the old pirate age, willingly flocking to their side. Sengoku was probably perversely pleased with this little coup.

But that didn't mean _he_ had to like it. Momonga suspected the blonde of something more than just generosity; much more. First, there was the matter of his arrival. How had he made it from Saboady to Amazon Lily in such a short time? And undetected! Momonga would have seen such a ship, which meant the man must've been on the isle for at least a day prior to his own arrival in the Calm Belt. His timing was also suspect. Silvers had offered his services at a crucial time when the World Goverment couldn't afford to refuse, when they were at their most vulnerable.

He'd have to be a fool to try something at Marineford, but...predictability, was not something pirates were known for. Silvers D. Naruto. He would have to watch this one. His ability was relatively unheard of; he seemed intent to keep that under wraps as well. Another note of suspicion! And then there was the matter of Boa Hancock

Did Silvers have relations with her somehow? The Pirate Empress had spoken precious little since she'd resucitated his crew; she seemed intent to keep close proximity to the Dark Prince. Did she have something to do with this as well? Suspicious! This was all too suspicious! Even now he could hear them speaking in hushed tones, their voices just soft enough to prevent him from listening in. On occassion their eyes would meet, and then Hancock would become the cold empress once more. But whenever he wasn't looking...there it was again!"

...sure about this?" he heard Hancock whisper.

"Not like I have any choice." Silvers muttered back.

_"Enough!"_

Exasperated, the vice-admiral fixed the young blond with a stern glare.

"Silvers, if you're planning anything...

"Perish the thought!" Naruto waved him off with a small sigh. "I'm tired of being wanted already. Better to work with my enemy than against them, neh?" There was somethin in his stare that begged a challenge; those bright blue orbs were narrowed in scarcely concealed contempt. "Of course, if you doubt me...

...I do not." Perhaps Momonga _did_ trust this boy; about as far as he could throw him!

"Make preparations to dock!" He commanded, and then, with a final glare at the Prince, stormed away.

Naruto exchanged a significant glance with Hancock.

"That went well, don't you think?"

_'Naruto-kuuuuun~!'_ she nearly fainted at the sight of his sublime smile. _'Oh, I love him so muuuuch!'_

Despite her hammering heart, she managed a nod.

"I suppose...although, you shouldn't have baited him back there."

"Ah, but that's half the fun!"

Naruto chuckled, and Boa felt her heart skip a beat.

She hadn't been able to stop thinking about him; it certainly did help that they'd had each other for a third time during the ride to the warship. She could feel his eyes on her, and she liked the way it felt. There was not a glimmer of greed in those baby blue eyes, nor was there the complete and utter adulation she'd become accustomed to with the use of her powers. His was a gentle, smoldering love, one that could just as easily flare into fierce passion at the slightest touch, as she knew all too well. At that moment she wanted nothing more than to embrace him, but she knew that if she were to do so, they'd be found out.

"Well, would ya look at that," he murmurred, for the fog had finally parted to reveal their destination.

_'Darling..._

She knew this was all part of his plan; even so, she couldn't help but be nervous. What if something went wrong? She felt the words still in her throat as she beheld Marine Headquarters for the first time. It was a large, grandiose building constructed in the oriental style that the Kuja themselves favored. Dozens upon dozens of warships surrounded the headquarters in tight formation; the first line of defense against anyone who dared to breach this impregnable fortress and enter into its crescent-shaped bay.

Beyond that stretched the great wall, secured by dozens of turrets, manned by the very best men and women the navy had to offer. Over one hundred thousand of their elites, cream of the crop. And there positioned in the front row for all to see...

_...the Shichibukai._

Their numbers had been reduced since she'd seen them last; only four remained. Bartholomew Kuma, in all his imposing glory. Geck Moria, his palid face curved into a rictus of a grin. Donquixote Donflamingo, grinning without a care in the world. And last, but certainly not least, Dracule Mihawk. The undisputed world's greatest swordsman, whose very gaze struck fear into the hearts of his opponents. She would be joining them soon, alongside Naruto. Together, with him by her side, that would make six.

A tremor of anticipation jolted up and down her spine. _Naruto._ Were it not for her beloved, she'd never have come to this awful place. She did not resent him for it, but she was glad of his prescence here nonetheless. It was a comfort to know she was not alone here, surrounded by marines and agents of the World Government. Though she herself did not fear death, she did fear the possiblity of losing him. Because if his plan were to fail, it would be more than a possibility. It would be a certainty. Were the marines to discover this he might very well perish here, in this very place.

Behind them stood the giants, seen even from here with their massive size. They served as the next line of defense, ready and willing to lay their lives down to ensure the death of the world's most wanted man. Boa did all she could to still her hammering heart. These odds were overwhelming, the deck, stacked against him. Would Whitebeard truly make an appearance? Would he show in the face of such adversity? A small tiny part of her hoped he would not; that nothing would happen within the next three hours, that Whitebeard would simply let his comrade succumb, so that they might return home safely.

But somehow, someway, she knew it was not to be. Her gaze fell upon the plaza once more, drifting past the Shichibukai, past the admirals.

Above them and in the midst of it all, stretching toward the sky in silent offering, stood the execution platform. Where the life of Portgas D. Ace, would come to an end. Or not, depending on Naruto's decision. Although he'd revealed his plans to her, she knew how conflicted he must feel; torn between his burning desire for revenge and the need for closure, desperate to know the truth behind his brother's death. But the execution was set and the platform was by far the most dangerous of all. Even from here she could see them; the three admirals having taken their seats below the platform.

Aokiji.

Akainu.

Kizaru.

Three of the marine's greatest fighters, all gathered in one place.

Hancock knew well of Naruto's prowess and powers, even so, there was nothing to prevent the admirals from turning on him even if he _did_ carry out the government's wishes. She knew from firsthand experience surely how adept those justice-seeking fools were when it came to altering the truth. If they were willing to go through all this just to extinguish the last living remnant of Gol D. Roger then who was to say what they would do to the son of his first mate?

"Are you worried?" he asked her.

"A little." She conceded. They were alone now, Momonga and the marines were far too busy securing the ship to pay them anything more than percursory glance. Doubtless they didn't expect him to try anything in the face of such overwhelming odds. Naruto laid his fingers over hers, the lightest of touches from him. It wasn't until he turned his palm upright that she realized he was offering her his hand. A small smile graced her lips as she accepted it; lacing her fingers with his as she stepped off the gangway.

"Such a gentleman."

"What can I say?" He grinned. "I'm a charmer."

Together, they disembarked.

Once again they were left without escort, either the marines were ridiculously certain of their own safety, or they simply couldn't be bothered to lead the two Shichibukai to where their fellow warlords stood. Regardless of the fact, she was grateful for the quiet. She dared to take her beloved's hand, pushing her fingers through his. He gave her a reassuring squeeze.

Hancock spared a glance for the broad streets of Marineford; they were empty. Doubtless everyone's families had already been evacuated prior to the time of the execution. They were completely and utterly alone. The thought suddenly struck her; this would perhaps be the last moment they had together for a very long time. _The next three hours will decide everything,_ she thought to herself. _But until then..._

Naruto must've thought the same; because as soon as they rounded the corner and were out of sight he tugged her towards the shadow of a nearby arch. Hancock wasn't content to be tugged. She _yanked_ him into the shade, touching his cheek in the same instant his arms found the small of her back.

"Wait." she whispered. "Before we continue...there is is something I wish to tell you."

Naruto arched an eyebrow.

"And that would be?"

Hancok peered into his eyes for a long moment, knowing this might be the last chance she had to express how she truly felt about him. These feelings had been swelling inside her chest, building and burning within her heart since they'd first made love two days ago.

"Just so you know...I do not say this lightly!" she was suddenly flustered, her cheeks flaring a shameful pink.

Naruto said nothing, and she knew that this was her moment. Her chance. She felt the words rise up inside her now, words she had never imagined herself saying to anyone.

"I love you, Naruto." Boa felt the back of her neck burn as she rushed to get the words out; mustering her courage to the best of her ability. "Truly, I do." She watched his eyes widen. "You are the most kind, wonderful and selfless person I've ever met and I don't know what you see in me and...and..." Hancock drew a deep breath before she could continue to ramble. "I know this is sudden and terribly selfish of me but I just...wanted you to know." Her lower lip began to quiver. "Please...please do not hate me for telling you this..."

_"..."_

Hancock half-expected him to recoil; after all, who could blame him? They'd known each for less than two days, and already here she was, spilling her heart out to him. She'd wanted to wait, intent until the battle with Whitebeard was over, but looking at him, here and now, she'd blurted it out before she was ready. _Stupid!_ She cursed herself, anger rising in the wake of this sudden silence. _Stupid stupid stupid girl! He can't love you! Not yet! It's too soon!_

"Hancock."

"H-Hai?" She stiffened sharply, trying her best to meet his gaze.

Naruto stared back at her in stoic silence and did not pull away. He reached for her fingers before kissing them one by one. Hancock let him. She let him cup her cheek, _let_ him pull her face to his, their foreheads meeting for what might've been an eternity. And then he looked her square in the eye and uttered four words. Four, simple little words, as plain and unadorned as any man could say, and yet they struck a chord somewhere in the depths her heart. She felt the last of her walls come crashing down as he said to her the words she'd never dreamnt to ever hear from his lips:

"I love you, too."

Oh. Hancock blinked once, then twice, as the weight of his words sank in. _Oh!_ He loved her. Naruto loved her. He. Loved. Her. Suddenly, her eyes began to water. Unbidden, she began to tremble. What was wrong with her? Why was she crying? She dabbed a hand to her face in awe struggling-failing-to stifle the rising tide of emotion within her breast. No one had ever spoken those words to her before. Certainly not a man! It just felt so...incredible. So incredibly wonderful to hear him say that. To know that she was loved. Not lusted after, not ogled at, just...

_Loved._

She was kissing him almost before her mind even registered it; before, her back even touched the wall, her fingers tangling themselves in the messy mane of his hair, her chest rising and falling rapidly. He could feel her heated breaths as he brushed his lips against hers once and then twice before finally meeting them for good. Burying his hands in the raven curtain of her hair, he kissed her with everything he had, everything he wanted to be. He heard a soft murmur of contentment as he slid his arms around her.

He opened his mouth slightly and felt her tongue against his, and all at once, he knew that she was right for him, what was happening was the right thing for the both of them. His mind flickered back to the promise he had made to Caimie, the promise to return. He roared at it and it retreated, cowering into a corner. He would deal with that when the time came. Although it could be said he did have feelings for the girl-_and perhaps a few others-_here, locked in this instant, he had eyes only for Hancock.

Boa barely even registered it when his foot struck the wooden door of a nearby home, splintering the frame like so much timbre. And yet, she shook her head. She wanted to enter that room just as much_-perhaps even more than-_as he did, but she knew any further delay would cause the marines to become suspicious.

"We have to go." she breathed out a sigh.

For a moment, the empress thought she heard Naruto groan. She shared the sentiment. It was so easy to forget about the rest of the world when they were wrapped up in one another.

"Will we be arlight, I wonder?" the thought escaped her lips unbidden before she could stop it.

"Of course we will." Naruto graced her with a final kiss, but did not release her. Hancock nearly swooned. "But just to be certain?"

Hancock gasped as his fingers curled beneath her leg.

"But just to be certain," he grinned anew, "I'll have to give you reason to come back alive."

"Hmmm...yes." she purred, arching into him for a final time. "I'd like that, Naruto-kun."

_"I'd like that very much."_

* * *

><p>Sometime later, the pair watched in satiated silence amongst their fellow Shichibukai as Portugas D. Ace was led from the bowels of Navy Headquarters to the execution stand. Unbidden, Hancock felt a touch of pity for the boy. He looked as though he'd been to hell and back; his upper torso marred with fresh cuts and bruises gained from his battle with Marshall D. Teach.<p>

Somehow, he saw Naruto from across the plaza. Their eyes locked. Ace hung his head in...what was that on his face? _Shame?_ Naruto felt his blood begin to boil, but, he quelled it. Barely. Thousands of questions swirled inside his mind, WHY, chief amongst them. Why did you kill him? Why did you lie? Why were you foolish enough to get yourself captured? _Why, why, why why why whywhywhywhywhy:_ On and on it went, the questions blurring together in a seamless tapestry of pain and torment. He'd known what toe expect when he came here, even so...

"Kishishi!" Moria cackled blackly. "Getting nervous already, newbie?"

Naruto shot Moria a glare that could boil water.

"Says the man who got his ass handed to him by a boy made of rubber." He couldn't be certain of it, but he thought he saw the horned man turn even paler.

"What did you say?!"

Donflamingo cackled madly.

"Well said, rookie!"

Now it was Naruto's turn to become flustered.

"I'm not a-

"I have an announcement for you all." Sengogku's voice rang across the plaza, loud enough to be heard by all, cutting through their bickering. "Portugas D. Ace...the death of this man today holds great significance, in more ways than one." There was a painful note of silence as his gaze swept across the Plaza, everyone listening with rapt attention.

"Ace." Sengoku continued, "Tell me the name of your father."

Hancock felt a note of tension enter her shoulders. Naruto merely blinked.

"His father?"

"My father is Whitebeard." Ace murmurred.

"Not true!"

"It is!" Ace shouted! "My father is Whitebeard! I have no other father!"

Sengoku ignored him.

"Years ago, we put all our resources into searching for a man. We suspected he might have a child on a certain island. We relied entirely on the possibility, and Ciper Pol's vague information. Children who had just been born...children who were about to be born...we investigated all the mothers, but we couldn't find him. But I suppose that was to be expected. Your mother...risked her life, to deliver you safely. She performed a special trick, pulled off through sheer willpower. She deceived our eyes...no, the eyes of the world!"

"Oi," Naruto hissed beneath his breath. "Just what the devil is he going on about?"

Donflamingo chuckled.

"You'll see, boy."

"In South Blue, there is an island called Baterilla." Sengoku continued without pause. "Ace, your mother's name is Portgas D. Rouge. She managed to defy common sense with sheer willpower, to protect her child. She carried you in her womb for twenty whole months. She used all of her strength, and as soon as she gave birth to you, she died. A year and three months after the father's death, a child was born, carrying the blood of the most evil man in the world. That child was you! I'm sure you already know. Your father is the pirate king, Gold Roger!"

Naruto bristled.

"Roger's son?!"

He suddenly recalled a conversation he'd once had with his old man. Two years before he'd been made a slave, long before Itachi, before the Hellfire fruit, before everything. Back then he'd been just a boy, looking up at the legs of his father, wishing to one day follow in his footsteps. Back then...

* * *

><p><em>(Flashback)<em>

_"Heh?" A young Naruto of eight years blinked. "Gold Roger had a kid?"_

_"Yes." his father nodded, mussing his hair beneath the pirate hat he wore. " His name is Ace. You're a little bit older than him, though."_

_Naruto fidled with his toy sword a moment longer, contemplating those words and the meaning they held. From all the stories his father had told him, he and Roger were incredibly close almost like siblings. So then the same must be true of him and this "Ace" boy he'd never met._

_"So its like we're brothers?"_

_His father stared at him for a long moment and for a terrifying instant, he feared he'd said something wrong._

_Then Rayleigh laughed. _

_"Indeed!" He chortled. "I'm sure the two of you will meet someday..._

_...and turn the world upside down! Just as we did!"_

_(End flashback)_

* * *

><p>Naruto's fist clenched.<p>

"Godamnit...

Hancock stole a glance at her beloved. She saw the strain etched into the corners of his eyes, the effort it took for him to stand still.

_'Naruto-kun...hang in there.'_

"So his biological son lives on?" Moria cackled. "What a miracle! Anyone who had a connection to Roger back then should have already been sentenced!"

"It's been two years now, hasn't it?" Heedless of the turmoil raging only a few feet to hris ight, the Fleet Admiral continued his address, "Since you took the name of your mother, formed the Spade Pirates and ventured to the seas with formidable speed and strength. At that point we finally realized. We had not stopped Roger's bloodline! But Whitebeard, who realized it at the same time we did, decided to raise you to become the next Pirate King, and let the son of his old rival onto his own ship!"

"That's not true!" Ace's snarl snapped Naruto out of his daze. "I got on that ship so I could make the old man the Pirate King!"

"You're the only one who thinks that!" Sengoku barked back! "We were careful not to act recklessly...because you were under Whitebeard's protection! But left unchecked, you'd undoubtedly inspire a new generation of pirates. That is why your execution here today carries such great significance. The bloodline of Gold Roger will end here today! Even if we must go to war against Whitebeard!"

A raucous cheer rose up from the crowd.

"Go to war against Whitebeard?" Naruto hissed beneath his breath. "For a shitty reason like that? Oi oi...you've got to be...

_'Naruto!'_ Hancock could feel his killer intent beginning to spread, but she daren't speak out. _'What are you doing?!'_

"Dark Prince!" Sengoku's voice boomed. "Join us."

"?!"

Hancock couldn't believe her ears; Sengoky had just invited her beloved to join him on the execution stand! Every fiber of her being screamed that it was a trap, but she daren't speak out. No! Her mind shrieked as her fellow Shichibukai turned toward the stand. Don't! She wanted nothing more than to grab his arm, yet her muscles locked up at the expression on her darling's face.

Naruto hesitated, simultaneously torn between exultation and exasperation, contemplating the fleet admiral's words. Sengoku had called on him. _Him._ Of all people. He hadn't been expecting this. Was it a trap? A ploy, to get him closer to the enemy, so they could execute him as well? Very well then. Quietly, he pushed his anger down. He'd take their gamble; play their little game. His mind screamed for him not to go...his body, not so much. He could feel Hancock's tension, ebbing between the two of them.

All he could do was offer a reassuring smile.

With a swift flourish of Soru and Geppo, the blond cleared the distance between him and the execution platform, alighting at the edge. He willed his expression into complacent calmness, forcibly quelling the rising fury as it stirred within his chest. Above all, he must remain calm. Calm. He inclined his head to Sengoku, wishing more than anything to tear the man's head from his shoulders. He did not. Instead he stood stock still, this anger and hatred tearing at him inside, and forced himself to listen as the older man turned his attention to Ace.

"Do you know who this man is?"

Ace said nothing.

"This is the son of the Silvers Rayleigh, the Dark King!" A hushed gasp arose from all those gathered at the plaza. "He has joined us here today for but a single reason; to see you die!" Ace's heard jerked up a bit again; just enough for their eyes to meet. He could the shock, awe and disbelief in the stare all of which were swiftly overcome by the strange flash of shame once more. Naruto waited for Roger's son to say something. To try and rectify his mistakes. To explain his actions. Anything. Ace said nothing. Did nothing. He merely hung his head.

Something snapped.

"You little shit!" Naruto grabbed the younger man by the scruff of his neck and hoisted him off the execution platform as high as the chains would allow, then even higher. Worry flickered like a shadow across Sengoku's visage but a scathing glare sent his reply packing.

"Why did you do it?" He hissed, tongues of flame flecking at the corners of his eyes, bleeding into his face. "Why did you kill Itachi?!"

Ace said nothing.

"Answer me!"

Naruto struck him in the face, bloodying his nose.

_**"ANSWER ME!"**_

Ace spat a bloody gob and refused to look at him; bloodied lips parted in a sigh.

...because he was afraid."

_"Afraid?"_

* * *

><p><em>(Flashback)<em>

_"Afraid?"_

_He was suddenly a young man again, staring at his mentor with awe and confusion. The scene was Saboady; their location of the many lawless groves where even the marines daren't enter. Itachi was patching him up after an especially painful spar-who knew haki could hurt so damn much-when he'd asked the question. Naruto blinked processing the older man's words then yelped as the Uchiha missed a stitch in his right arm. Ouch that hurt damnit!_

_"Am I afraid?" he repeated the question. "Afraid of what?"_

_Those coal black orbs found his and he knew what was coming next._

_"Death."_

_"Pssh!" He'd snorted. "If I ever die it'll be on the sea, with you! I couldn't ask for a better death!" Back then he'd **wanted **to become a pirate. To set sail with the man who had taught him all he knew and turn the world on its head. He could think of no better life to live. Well, aside from slaughtering every Tenryubito to ever draw breath. But Itachi didn't have to know about that dream._

_His brother inclined his head in a slight nod. Then he posed another question._

_"Tell me, Naruto...have you ever heard of Blackbeard?"_

_Naruto tilted his head in confusion. Whitebeard, he'd heard of. And who hadn't? But Blackbeard? Nope._

_"Can't say that I have." he shrugged, cringing as the motion stretched his aching muscles. "Why? What's wrong? Do you know him?" For a moment he thought his brother would tell him what was bothering him. He did not. Instead he merely poked him in the forehead, smiling softly._

_"Ow!" The blond winced. "Do you have to keep poking me like that? I'm not a little kid anymore, ya know!"_

_Itachi sighed._

_"You'll see, someday."_

_(End Flashback)_

* * *

><p>Then Itachi had died, and Naruto's dreams of becoming a pirate withered away a weed in dust. But what did fear have to do with this? What the hell did <em>Blackbeard<em> have to do with any of this? He knew who Blackbeard was now. Marshall D. Teach. Former member of the Whitebeard pirates. But that was all he knew. Somehow, he was the connection between Ace and Itachi. But what?

_What the hell am I missing?!_

Naruto felt his anger soar to new heights. After all these years, the brat still had him groping for answers. The same damned answer! In his exasperation, rage got the better of him. Rage for the man who_-for whatever reason-_had killed the one man he thought of as a brotherr.

**"Liar!"**

Naruto threw Ace down to the deck with enough force to kill a lesser man. Unfortunately, Portgas D. Ace was anything but a lesser man. Roger's son suffered the full brunt of the impact; choking first in surprise, then in pain as a booted foot found his gut. The blow was firm and agonizingly soilid, thanks in part to the seastone shackles he wore, Ace was forced to savor every second as he gasped for air. For a terrifying instance, Naruto was tempted to kill him then and there, even if it might end in his death. _What would happen to Hancock if I died? _The thought popped into his head unbidden. He stubbornly resisted the urge to crane his neck; already he could feel her eyes upon him, the eyes of the world. Watching. Waiting.

Amazingly, the thought stayed his hand.

"We done here?" He fixed Sengoku with a pointed stare.

"Yes, I believe you've made your point." The fleet admiral appeared non-plussed by his sudden show of violence, but he made no move not to stay him as he moved to reclaim his place amongst the Shichibukai. Naruto felt Mihawk's eyes on him as he returned to Boa's side. He said nothing; because his hands were trembling. So close. He'd been so close to killing that damned brat! He stilled them with an effort.

Cheers were ringing out across the plaza, everyone thought he was some sort of hero or something for daring to strike the son of Roger. Or perhaps they found it ironic; that the son of Roger's first mate had no love for the man's son. Naruto didn't share in their enthusiasm. He felt like he'd been dunked in a vat of ice water; he was freezing, itching with the cold desire to kill someone wearing white and blue. He could still feel Hancock beside him, her tension slowly abating in the wake of his return. He knew she meant well, but at the moment her concern did little more than whet his confusion.

Something was wrong here. Something was terribly, horribly wrong.

_Ace...you sonova-_

"They're here!" The lookout's shout drowned out the thought. "All troops, prepare for battle!"

Naruto's words stilled in his throat as the siren sounded; he saw them, an entire fleet of pirate ships emerging from the fog of Marineford. Forty-three ships in all, manned by some of the most feared captain in the New World. They must've coated their entire fleet and come along the ocean bottom. Clever bastards! They'd come for Ace, just as he suspected! But where was Whitebeard? He didn't see him amongst the vessels. But he'd be here somewhere. He just had to be...

"Ahahahaha!" Donflamingo laughed. "Now its getting interesting! I'm really getting excited here! Hurry and show up, Whitebeard!"

That was when Naruto saw the shadow beneath the water's sruface. He gave Hancock a gentle nudge.

"Look...

Suddenly and without warning it appeared. Breaching the surface of the bay like a great white whale, it lurched out of the ocean depths and into plain sight, crashing into the waters. Naruto felt something still in him at the sight of it. That ship, there could be no doubt about it. That was the...

"It's the Moby Dick!" someone cried!

Three smaller ships rose from the depths to flank Whitebeard's flagship; it didn't take a genius to know they bore the divison commanders.

A steady_ clack-clack-clack_ arose in the silence, presiding over the sound of heavy footfalls ascending a staircase. There he was. A great mountain of a man, naginata in hand, a immutable and immovable pillar of wrath and solidarity. He stood there, tall and proud, before the full might of the navy, and he did what no man before him had dared to do. He laughed. That great white mustache for which he'd gained his epithet seemed to curl alongside his smile.

"Gurararara," he chortled, "It's been a long time, Sengoku! You better tell me that my beloved son...is all right!"

"So that's Whitebeard." Hancock mused over the roar of his voice. "He's...

...big?" Naruto finished for her.

A coy smile played at the corner of the empress's mouth. "I was going to say rowdy, but I suppose you speak from experience, don't you?"

"I suppose." He offered a wan smile in return. Witty banter before the storm. It helped to take the edge off his anger, if only slightly.

At that moment he wanted nothing more than to sweep Boa Hancock off her feet, into his arms and kiss her breathless. She had this way of doing things that stirred him up in all the right ways, evoking strange feelings he'd never felt before. He had no words for it but he knew he was as hopelessly addicted to Boa Hancock as she was him. It was as if he'd been waiting for her all his life; waiting to find this vital, crucial piece of himself he'd thought lost to the horrors of the Tenryubito and their torment.

That piece had never been lost, merely forgotten; perserved here in the form of this gorgeous woman. He'd realized it the very first time they'd made love; when he finally lowered his barriers and opened up to her, the only woman he'd ever slept with in all his life. She was just as scarred as he was, perhaps in more ways than one. They'd known the same pain, shared the same fears, and, until only yesterday, had been deathly afraid of opening up to anyone outside their respective families. But now that they had...

They completed one another. The thought almost made Naruto laugh, which would've been very, _very_ unwise in the face of Whitebeard. But that was it. The truth. The best and only way to describe how they felt about each other. It took only a single glance to know she felt the same way about him. Naruto knew he was risking a bit by doing this, but he couldn't help himself.

He leaned forward, just enough to catch her eye, he already knew he had her ear.

"When we get back to Amazon Lily..." Whatever else he might've said degenerated into a soft whisper, for her and her alone.

The smallest of shivers that shot down Hancock's spine was barely noticeable to the other Shichibukai, but Naruto noticed. Totally worth it. There was a slight glaze to those crystal blue eyes of hers suggesting she was indeed thinking ahead to that future; looking forward to end of the battle that was sure to come. Whether the marines won or lost said battle mattered precious little in the face of his plan. Naruto knew without a doubt Hancock would survive whatever was thrown her way. Now he just had to do the same.

"Give me a second, Ace." Whitebeard called, his voice a deep rumble of thunder, ending their moment. "I'm going to bring those walls crashing down!"

Naruto didn't need haki to know what was coming next. His father had drilled it into him countless times; Whitebeard was known as the man closest to One Piece. For a damned good reason. As the great man flung his arms back, the son of the Dark King drew in a deep breath and steeled himself, body and soul, bracing for the one power even _he_ feared; the Gura Gura no mi.

"Here it comes." he hissed.

With a mighty grunt, Whitebeard slammed his clenched fists into what seemed like nothingness. That was when it happened. Cracks_-actual cracks-_spiderwebbed at the points of contact, rippling across the air to spread through the atmosphere. For a wonderful moment, nothing happened. Then the tremors began.

_Seaquake!_

The air itself seemed to tremble, quaking before the might of the strongest man in the world. The waters surrounded Marineford began to rise, swelling to dangerous levels. Abruptly they receded. Naruto gawped as the water drew back, back, back, only to recede just as quickly. A minute passed. Nothing happened. Five minutes. Then he felt it. A tremor. Hancock caught his gaze, held it. She felt it as well. The ground began to quiver, trembling with increasing frequency, vibrating in their teeth.

Whitebeard began to laugh.

"Prepare yourself, Sengoku!"

Naruto couldn't be certain who saw the wave first, but by the time _he_ finally did, the twin walls of water had already closed in on either side. Dear kami...he'd created a tsunami!

"Oi oi oi...isn't that a bit much?!"

Great walls of water towered over them on either side, eclipsing the entire plaza in shadow. For a fleeting instant he felt a flicker of genuine despair. _Fear. _How the hell were they supposed to defend against something like that?! Water wasn't something he could easily burn, even with _his_ dreaded flames. That took time. If he tried to evaporate that much liquid all at once...

_"Ice Age!"_

Hancock's gasp stopped him cold; in more ways than one. He turned just in time to witness Aokiji lunge from his seat and into the air. He hung there for the span of two beats, tendrils of ice lancing out at either side of him. The moment they made contact with the rising waters everything froze. _Literally._ Frozen tundra replaced what had once been a tsunami, stopping the deadly deuluge in its tracks; leaving frozen foam hanging over their heads in silent reminder of what had almost been their end.

"Aokiji!" Whitebeard rumbled in amusement, "You saucy brat!"

But the admiral wasn't finished; he flung a hand forward, his element twisting, sharpening into deadly shafts of frost.

_"Partisan!"_

Spears of the coldest craft lunged toward Whitebeard; the man simply created another one of his terrible tremors, sending the ice man plummeting to the waters of the bay below. He reformed almost instantly freezing the bay solid beneath his feet within seconds of landing. Now there would be no escape. Everyone was trapped here in the bay; only the victor would be allowed to leave these waters. The thought sent a thrill of elation burning through Naruto's chest. How could one not become excited by a battle such as this; ;aid on a pedestal for all the world to see?

If the Whitebeard Pirates felt any fear at being trapped in the bay, they did precious little to show it. Everyone save Whitebeard himself disembarked immediately, racing forward in the face of cannon-fire blazing out to greet them. The marines mounted a counter-offensive of their own, charging out to greet them. Within seconds the battle was joined. The sound of gunfire dirfted up from the bay; the scent of gunpowder from cannons wafted up to scorch their nostrils.

"So its finally started." Naruto sighed to himself, climbing onto the outer ledge. "Well, I suppose we should-

_"Step back."_

Naruto blinked in surprise, growling as 'Hawk-Eye' stepped to his side seconds later. _Oi!_ He had to force down the sudden surge of nameless terror he felt as he peered into those golden orbs. Even skilled soldiers would tremble and freeze in fear just from looking into those eyes. But he knew a great deal about fear. The decade he'd spend with Itachi had taught him what terror truly was; compared to that this was nothing. He knew to embrace the anxiety, letting the hate and the anger flow through his veins and empower him.

He touched a hand to the nameless blade at his waist and thumbed it free from its sheathe. While not one of the Great twelve blades, he knew it would be able to endure at least a few strikes from the world's strongest swordsman. In that much Naruto himself owner was a natural; Rayleigh had beaten the art of the blade into him since the day he could walk. He didn't know if the same could be said of Mihawk, but he liked to think he could at _least_ hold his own against the man who stood at the top of the world of swords.

"What?" he drawled. "Do you wanna fight?"

To his amazement, the Mihawk simply shook his head.

"I just want to figure out the true distance...between us and that man who seems like he's right in front of us."

Without another word he unsheathed the great black sword _Yoru_ from his back and brought it crashing down. A swathe of emerald light erupted from its tip, carving across the ice as though it were made of wet papper, shredding ally and enemy alike. Streaking toward the Moby Dick.

It never made it.

Naruto didn't see what it was that stopped Mihawk's slash, not at first. Only that someone-or something-had successfully slowed, then blocked, then _fucking deflected_ possibly the strongest slash in the worrld. Left with only the air and nowhere else to go, the energy cascaded upwards to explode harmlessly overhead. The marines gawped; Naruto could see the shock and awe in their faces. A single man had blocked that strike with his bare hands?! He fought the urge to laugh. Only one man could do that.

"So you're here too, Diamond Jozu?"

Mihawk said nothing; simply sheathed his sword, satisfied.

"See?" Naruto sighed. "This is what happens when you're not serious." With those words, his right eye began to bleed. "You've had your chance, now its my turn." Dread power began to gather in his iris; amplified then magnified by the powers of his left eye. Strain stretched across both orbs, his blue eyes dying crimson with his brother's power. He drank it in and pooled it with his own power; the flames of hell joining with those that only his brother had ever been known to wield. A wan smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

**"Amateratsu."**

A curtain of black flame dropped down between him and the Whitebeard pirates in the same instant that a _golden glare_ lit the horizon. Those who didn't burn beneath the blonde's flames found themselves subsuquently blinded by the glinting light, cringing as it took shape and form only a few yards away from the Moby Dick. It shrank to a pinpoint of brilliance and became solid assuming the likeness and form of a familiar man in a pin-stripped yellow suit. The Dark Prince felt his heart skip a beat.

"Kizaru!" Naruto growled.

Impossibly, the admiral heard him.

Instead of unleashing the powers of the Pika Pika no mi upon Whitebeard, he chose to vanish once more, much to the shock of the pirates. Naruto steeled himself for the worst. Would the admiral still attack him, even though he was a shichibukai now? He had the succinct feeling he was about to find out. Suddenly, a patch of yellow in his peripherals caught his attention. He bristled. Bristled, as the slow-minded admiral, winked into existence before him, hands planted in either pocket. Beside him, he felt Hancock stiffen. And then there was no more time for thought.

Kizaru squinted down at him. "Aaaaah, still alive, are yooou?"

A muscle jumped in Naruto's jaw. He forced himself to meet the man's gaze, forced himself to smile; forced himself not to check on the vivre card in his pocket. There was no way in hell his old man could've lost to this guy, he reminded himself. If _he_ were to lose himself now, then his plan would be all for naught. He pushed a hand through the messy mop of his hair and laughed, praying his trembling fingers wouldn't betray him. The marine admiral remained motionless, awaiting his reply. Naruto was more than happy to give it.

"It's been awhile, glinty."

The man arched an eyebrow.

"Sooo, you're on our side now, hmmm?"

"You could say that." Naruto wasn't sure just how much Borsalino remembered about their short-lived bout. Hopefully not enough to suss him out. It suddenly struck him that he could kill this man. With his powers and those of Itachi's combined it wouldn't be too difficult, although it might leave him drained. He cast a glance to the flame shrouded ice below; where the battle still raged. Some of the pirates had managed to circumvent his Amateratsu, those who had were who had were still advancing, but their numbers had been thinned. That was enough for him.

He banished the black flames with a blink and returned his attention the admiral towering over him.

"Don't you have a pirate to kill or something?"

"I supoooose."

Kizaru sneered and then was gone again, his fingers blurring in a brutal barrage of light. _"Yasakani no Magatama!"_ Thankfully, it was directed at the Moby Dick and not Naruto. The latter watched impassively as the first division commander "Marco the Phoenix" warded off the attack and sent Kizaru careening into the plaza below. Blue flames, eh? Interesting.

"I wonder which is hotter?" Naruto thought aloud. "His flames or mine?"

"Hush." Hancock elbowed him.

Naruto smiled. He barely bit back a "Yes, dear." for fear of compromising their relationship in front of the other Shichibukai. A rumble of movement behind him ended his good mood. Another shadow eclipsed them, that of the hulking men and women who were the second line of defense.

"Here come the giants!" a pirate shouted from down below.

_Aaaaaand here comes the ice!_

Naruto had just enough time for _that_ thought before a massive chunk sailed over their heads-courtesy of Jozu-and plummeted toward the execution stand. At first glance, it was a sound strategy. Not even a giant could stop something that large. Unfortunately, _Akainu_ didn't need to be a giant to stop the falling iceburg. From here, he could just barely see the remaining admiral rise from his seat, drawing his arm back in the face of the plummeting tundra. Just what the hell was he planning-

_"Dai Funka!"_

A massive fist molded out of pure magma slammed into the icburg, shattering it like so much glass. Molten rock roared down from the sky, pounding any pirate foolish enough to linger in one place for more than a few seconds, striking eneymy and ally alike. Even one of Whitebeard's ships suffered under the barrage, crumbling beneath the onslaught of hellacious fire. Naruto was almost insulted by the sight. Magma might be a close second to hellfire, but _his_ flames would've charred their very souls on the first try.

Fortunately, he didn't want the Whitebeard pirates to be completely wiped out. Yet. If he did that then he'd probably make the old man furious and nothing_-nothing-_was more dangerous than a father's temper. He knew that from experience. Still...with this much opposition...

_'Jeez,'_ he thought to himself. Ice, Light, and Magma. '_This might become troublesome..._

Then the ground rumbled anew. At first he thought it was Whitebeard's power at work again, but he was soon dissapointed. From this distance he could barely make great beast more than twice the size of a normal giant. Its horns pierced the clouds. Gravelly green skin stood in sharp contrast to the wild mane of crimson hair tumbling down his broad, armored back. He lumbered towards the plaza from the sea, bearing a blade that put Mihawk's Yoru in shame when it came to size. With a single swing of that massive weapon, he cleaved a warship in twine.

**"Ace-kun...**

"Litte Oars Jr!"

"I want it!" Moria all but drooled. "I want his corpse! With his body, I can have the strongest zombie again!"

"I didn't know there were such giant men in this world." Hancock mused.

"Alright, this is ridiculous!" Naruto nearly threw his hands up in exasperation. Logic had completely gone out the window!

Oars was on a rampage. He picked up ships and flung them like they were toys, smashing holes through the walls of the front line with haste and desperation. Even the giants were no match for him, he cut them down as though they were children play with sticks. Damn, but he was determined to reach Ace. Naruto almost pitied the marines. Almost. But he couldn't let Oars succeed just yet. One glance at Kuma told him the modified man had his sights on Oars; if the giant came any closer he'd attack.

"Hancok." He sighed.

"Y-Yes?"

"Let's go." Without another word, he stepped off the ledge and into empty air. Gravity tool hold. He plummeted to the ground but even as fell he was changing. Becoming something else. His feet struck the ice but they were no longer his feet, nor were those, his legs. They were larger. Darker. Brimming with black flame. He hung there, suspended in the air, held aloft by his own power. Hancock froze. The warm and gentle prescence she'd come to associate with as her beloved had begun to vanish; replaced by something dark and cold. Fierce. She had seen Naruto's Susanoo before during his battle against Sonia and Mari but she'd never seen that black demon past the first stage and it frightened her. But what truly frightened her was thus:

_She liked it._

Susanoo whispered into existience around him, and this time Silvers D. Naruto gave himself to it. _Completely._ As before the skeletal demon sprouted around him, emulating muscle and flesh and bone but this time, it continued to grow_; _armor sprouting over its unprotected head and back, black flames wreathing the ribcage as it slithered shut around its master. _Not yet._ Pain exploded in every cell, aching in every fiber of his being, as the skeletal monstrosity stretched around his body. Still, he willed it upward and onward; growing and growing and _growing _until it was massive even by giant standards.

And still it grew; towering over Oars Jr. by at least a head's length.

_"What the hell is that?!"_ One of the marines screamed!

_"Its the Dark Prince!"_ Another chorused.

_"We're saved!"_

**"Five minutes."** Naruto hissed to himself, nearly doubling over with the pain required just to move the massive monstrosity he'd become.** "Just like Itachi said. That's how long the perfect Susanoo will last. I'll end this before then!"**

Little Oars Jr bounded forward to greet him as the blond drew his blade; his Susanoo mimicked the action, a sword of dark flame snapping into existence in its right hand/the indestructible Yata Mirror on its left. Neither cared for the marines nor pirates trod underfoot, they had eyes only for the each other, the massive monstrosity rushing to greet him. They barreled toward one another like a train wreck, snarling their fury. Naruto felt a slight thrill at the thought of being able to unleash his brother's powers to fullest; he'd never had an excuse to bring this out before.

"Get out of my way!" Oars's ancestor roared, bringing his gigantic cleaver screaming towards Susanoo's helmeted head.

**"Can't do that!"** Naruto shouted back, raising his ethereal weapon to greet the giant's attack with one of his own. **"I need to have a word with your old man first!"**

"I won't let you touch pops, either!"

**"I'd like to see you try!"**

Their blades met; clashing in an explosion of sparks and sound.

Every pirate and marin-and there were many-who suffered the misfortune of being on the ice when they collided flew backwards. The shockwave _alone_ was enough to shatter ships and send cracks skittering along the bloodied ice; a chorus of screams and shrieks greeted their entanglement, felt even here, from where the remaining Shichibukai stood. Everyone paused, stunned by the sight of what they perceived to be two massive monsters waging war on one another.

Weapons parted and joined again, sending soldiers sailing.

"Move!" Oars roared!

Naruto drove a flaming fist into Oar's stomach, but the giant's armor rendered the blow useless. And then the giant retaliated. Great knuckles smashed into the ribcage in which Naruto dwelt, sending shards splintering like glass. The blond grunted in surprise, staggered back a step. He'd actually felt that one. But the giant did not escape harm. Susanoo's hellish flameslatched onto his knuckles, tongues of flame clinging to the gravely green skin of his arm as he pulled away. Those flames began to spread, slowly but surely encompassing the entirety of his right hand. Oars didn't even scream; he simply shifted his sword to his left hand and continued the attack.

_'He's sacrificing his right arm just to injure me?'_ Naruto noted with some awe. _'This guy..._

Oars's sword descended on him again and there was no time for thought. For a big buy he was surprisingly swift! He stepped aside at the last instant, the slash tearing a rent in the ice to obliterate the plaza wall behind where he'd just stood. Another swing likewise went wide-slamming into the wall like a sledgehammer.

**"You cheeky dickwaffle."** Despite his growing ire, Naruto felt a grin grow on his face. **"You were never aiming at me from the beginning!"**

Oars swung again, and this time, Naruto didn't bother to dodge. It went wide.

"You guys!" the giant roared! "Go! Go save Ace-kun!"

**"Enough!"** Naruto stepped forward, smashing the Yata Mirror into the giant's face, stunning him for just a moment. Black flames licked across the tips of his fingers and spread into his palm; assuming shape and form, gaining figure and substance as it pooled across the expanse between them. Were one to peer at the mass of hellfire they would say it resembled the likes of a large hound.

Naruto flung his hand forward, intent on charring Oars to a crisp.

**"Jigoku no Banken-OOF!"**

* * *

><p><em>(Some minutes earlier)<em>

Boa Hancock couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer strength of Little Oars Jr. Nowhere near as strong as her beloved Naruto-kun, but still...he was strong.

Each stroke opened a gaping hole in the walls barring the plaza, but no one dared to take advantage of either. To enter into the plaza they had to get past Naruto and Oars, anyone fool enough to do so soon suffered in recompense for their temerity. Many were forced to watch and wait, wringing their hands helplessly as the giants' battle carried them further and further away from the battlefield.

Hancock chose this as her opportunity to strike-launch herself from ledge towards the unprepared men below. Distracted by the clash of the titans as they were, they did not expect her, to attack _them._ Boa slammed a long leg into the face of an unsuspecting pirate, nearly shattering his face on the spot. Cracks splintered across his skin, supple flesh becoming rock hard in the wake of her ability. The man scarcely had time to exclaim this in surprise before she ended him with another blow to the head, leaving the rest of his body to crumble away into dust.

_"Perfume Femur!"_

Skin became stone upon contact with her kicks. Marine or pirate, ally and enemy, she made no distinction between either. She was a blur of motion; a hurricane of lovely destruction that wrought havoc on anyone who dared to come near. To step within range of her heel was to be struck down and yet even those who sought to stay away found themselves caught in the crossfire. Spinning, twirling, whirling, she flung herself onto her hands, her long legs lancing out like lightning.

An effortless backflip carried her back to her serpent and safety, leaving her standing above all.

"You bitch!" A marine lieutenant hissed. "You're hitting us, too!"

"Allies and foes, men are all the same!" Her lips curved in a small smile as she beheld Naruto waging war against Oars. "Except for him."

A distant speck on the horizon caught her eye.

"What is that?"

Whatever it was, it was falling fast.

Straight toward Naruto-kun!

* * *

><p><em>(Present)<em>

**"Ooof?!"**

Naruto grunted in surprise as something very large and very _heavy_ bounced off Susanoo's massive head, ending his technique and momentarily extinguishing its dread flame. Stars exploded before his vision-he barely had enough time to catch it before it plummeted to the ice below-that which had struck him was not Oars as he'd suspected, but rather...

...a ship?

"Uh?" Even Oars seemed surprised by this sudden turn of events. Naruto idly noticed that the black flames charring the giant's arm were also no more. _'Ah well._' He shrugged and opened his hand, frowning down at the ship and the tiny specks adourning it. What were those. _People?_ The longer he looked the more certain he became; certain that he was staring at a navy warship held in the Susanoo's massive palm. And there amongst them, a boy with a strawhat waving frantically up at him.

"Oiiiiiii!" From this height, ensorcelled in the Susanoo as he was, he could barely hear a familiar voice. "Blondie-ossan!"

_"Luffy?!_

Naruto nearly dropped the boat before Susanoo withered away. The five-minute limit had effectively expired, sending the ship crashing to the ice below. It was a much gentler fall compared to the heedless plummeting that had nearly spelled its doom moments ago, even so the jarring collapse sent several of the ship's occupants skittering across the ice. Naruto touched down several seconds later, wincing at the pain in his chest. Had he held Susanoo a minute longer...he might not be standing now.

"Oiiiii!"

Naruto whipped his head around to see Monkey D. Luffy standing on the scaffold, trying desperately to get his attention.

"Yatta! I can't believe you're here!" Luffy skittered down the rigging to greet him with a grin. "I thought you got sent flying at Sabaody!" A muscle jumped in Naruto's jaw. What the hell was Mugiwara doing here?! And of all the times; to come crashing down on his head?! He continued to glower even as the battle raged around him, as the hapless youth climbed down to meet him.

"Long story." Naruto replied, frowning. "How in the hell did you get here?"

"Like you said, that's a long a story!" The rubberman cut in. "Look, I know this is sudden, but I really need your help!"

Naruto bristled. He wasn't gonna...

"Oi, now wait a second! I don't have to do anything!"

"You gotta!" Luffy begged! "I dunno why you and Ace don't get along, but please! He's gonna be executed! You gotta...

He was gonna.

_"You gotta help me save Ace!"_

**A/N: FWAH! Suuuuch a long chapter! My eyes are KILLING ME! Although, being a skeleton...I HAVE NO EYES! YOHO! Hope you enjoyed it! My damn keyboard keeps acting up, so I apologize for any grammatical errors. There we have it! The War of the Best is in full swing! Luffy's finally arrived! And I've dropped a juicy little hint as to why Itachi wanted Ace to kill him. Obviously Blackbeard is involved somehow, but the quest remains, to what purpose? I also hope you enjoyed the NarutoxHancock moments scattered throughout this chapter. Those two are just so cute together. As to if this will remain a harem, I can say...perhaps.**

**Naruto has perfect Susanoo! To clarify, he possess both the abilities of the Hellfire fruit and Itachi's own unamed fruit. He has two! Which means an epic clash with Blackbeard is most certainly in the making. Remember, Luffy doesn't know WHY Naruto hates Ace. He only has a sense that they don't get along. ****What will Naruto's decision be?! Ally with Luffy and Whitebeard, or stand against them? Will Ace live or die?! So many questions! Find out next time on Prince of Darkness!**

**Oh, and please don't forget to review until my ears fall off. Although, being a skeleton...I have no ears to listen! YOHOHOHOHO! SKUULLL JOOOOKE! Look forward to plenty of action of next chappy people!**

**So...in the immortal words of Atlas...**

**...Review, would you kindly?**

**R&R! =D**


	9. Decision

**A/N: Onward I say! I'm on an updating spree! And Prince of Darkness is next on that List! Followed by Passing the Torch. I have no idea why, but after watching the newest One Piece Movie, I am on a One Piece craze! Something big is going to happen during this chappy, I promise you that! I'd tell you, but it'd spoil the story And with that...**

**...let the long awaited rebirth of this story continue! Onward with Prince of Darkness! Sorry if its short! But I'm back! Fair warning! Someone dies in this chapter! I won't say who!**

_"Death is real. Fear is a choice!"_

_~Whitebeard._

** Decision**

_"You gotta help me save Ace!"_

Naruto froze, his mind awhirl. He stood at a crossroads in his life; staring down two roads of opportunity. On the left he could satisfy the burning desire for vengeance, to stand by and do his part for the marines, watch without complaint as the man who'd killed his brother was executed. He could let his curiosity go unsated, the nauseating feeling that this was all _wrong _go unfufilled. On the right was another path entirely. It was welll within his power to help Luffy; his powers could easily ensure that Ace lived to see another day.

He knew all too well the pain of losing a brother. It was like having your heart ripped out and a lump of coal shoved in its place. He'd been beside himself with mind-numbing, soul tearing grief. Pain like that could kill a man dead, no matter how strong he might be. The loss of Itachi had nearly driven _him_ to suicide all those years before. Without his old man, he'd never have gotten through the grief.

Was he really about to subject another man-a boy no less-to that?

He weighed his options. Once his choice was made, he wouldn't be able to reverse it. If he turned on the Admirals now, everything was going to go straight to shit. Not just for him, but potentially Hancock as well. They would wonder whether she'd been on it; she'd brought him with her, after all. But it was more than that. He _loved_ her, damnit. They understood each other on a level that no other man or woman could-shared a painful past borne of slavery, savagery and suffering. Somehow they'd found one another despite that. Two kindred spirits, they were. But his choice might jeopardize her regardless.

Now everything hinged on his decision. Anger and justice warred within him. There could be no limbo.

In the end, anger got the best of him.

"You shitty brat!"

Clenched knuckles barreled into Luffy face; crushing cartilege and bursting capiliaries in a shower of crimson. The rubberman didn't even have time to cry out in pain before the blonde struck again, a haki-enfused knee slamming him face-first into to the ice below, wedging him within its icy confines. Naruto left him there, leering down at the rubber youth. It would be so easy to finish him. One wing of his blazing blade would do it. Yet he hesitated, unable to land the final blow. Disgust wells up inside. He's well aquianted with the art of killing, but now he hesitates. Luffy hasn't done anything to him. He's just a godamn _kid..._

In the end he made a soft trilling sound and slowly took his hand away from the blade. When he finally found his voice again, it was little more than a dry rasp.

"Do you have any idea what your brother did to me?"

Luffy wasn't even listening anynmore; the damn boy was hysterical now.

"He's my brother! You gotta-

"I, shalll do nothing." with a flourish he drew his sword and walked away. "If you want to, on the other hand, then do it yourself. I won't stop you. I'm done playing these war games." His felt hollow now, somehow; the once burning brand that was his anger now gutted-reduced to little more than a candle in the wind. This was _precisely _why he'd hated piracy. All their morals were twisted up inside. Just like him. No matter what he did here today, it felt wrong. Damned if he did and damned if he didn't.

_Chink._

The cracking of the ice was his only warning. Then Luffy struck him so hard he saw _stars._

Naruto blinked, shock flitting across his face. Then he scowled.

"Stupid boy! Know when to..._quit!"_ He swung without so much as a backwards glance, slapping the rubber-man down with the blunt end of his blade even as he shot out of his icy tomb. It would've been child's play to slice him in half, but the pity stayed his hand once more. Instead he pushed down, grinding the son of Dragon deeper into the ice. The boy thrashed wildly beneath him but to no avail, his fists and feet flew harmlessly through his burning body like air through a shorn sail. Rayleigh's son humored him for a minute before striking down. _Hard._

Just like that, it was over.

"Enough!" Naruto stomped until he heard a rib crack, his own voice vibrating loudly with anger in the chaos raging around them. "You won't get anywhere by throwing your fists at me. Even now, I'm playing with you! I don't understand why you can't get that through your thick skull! Maybe I should just chop it off!" Luffy croaked out something, then The son of Silver frowned. "What?"

Unbelievably, the rubberman looked at him with something more than intelligence. Eyes widening as he laid his blade at his throat, he stretched out an arm and uttered a raspy mewling sound, _pleading_ with him. "No," he spoke to him, voice breaking. He tried to crawl out of the ice, tugging at his leg. Naruto bristled, feeling weakness in his limbs. Was he really about to do this? Luffy was just a boy. He's slower than him, weaker. He couldn't stop him. He begs. "Please..."

He hesitated.

"He's...the only family I have left...

Naruto glared down at him, eyes branching with strain. _Damn._ A bloody tear rolled down his cheek. _Damn. _The decision of a lifetime laid before him. _Damn. _A life-changing decision. Would he be able to live with himself-should he condemn another to the same helll he'd lived through? He already knew the answer. It made his blood boil. More than anything, he wanted to give into temptation and end this but he just...couldn't. An awful eternity seemed to pass as he stared down at the broken boy at his feet. That was when he realized it; he was looking at _himself._

_**"FUCK!"**_

He swore and struck, his blade carving a deep furrow into the ice, scattering marine and pirate alike into their stormy skies. Luffy lowered his arms from his face-silently amazed that it was still on his shoulders. Naruto towered over him, shimmering in black flame, eyes blazing an eerie crimson. And then the fires faded. Slowly, almost painfully, the Dark Princce offered Strawhat his hand. Tentatively he accepted it, wincing slightly as his throbbing rib protested against the sudden movement. They stared at one another for a long moment, the son of Silver and Dragon. Neither spoke.

"I...will help you." Naruto said at last, releasing his arm. "But the moment this is over, I have a few questions for your brother. And if I don't like what I hear, I'll kill him myself." He made no mention of Hancock, he did not know if this would cast a shadow of doubt upon her or not. He hoped she would understand what he was doing. If any of this blowback hit her, he didn't think he'd be able to forgive himself. No, he would find a way to make sure she didn't come to harm. His heart couldn't bear the thought of it.

On the other side of the coin, a certain pirate was celebrating.

"Yatta!" Luffy was overjoyed! He was certain that this was all just a big misunderstanding; that they could work this out. He didn't even pause to consider the rammifications of the blonde's words. That the man was all but throwing away his tentative position as Shichibukai for revenge. Even had he known this, he wouldn't have been able to understand. In the end he raced off after the Prince of Darkness into the field of battle. There was a tense silence between the pair, broken only by the war raging around them.

Naruto slew whatever got in his way. Be it pirate of marine, he made no distinction. There was a deliberate anger behind his movements; a barely repressed fury visible in every swing of his sword-every swathe of pure darkness fire that he flung at his foes. Some small part of him yearned to ask exactly what Ace had done to Naruto-what made him hate him so. But his common sense-what little he possessed-stayed his tongue before he could tread upon that verbal minefieldd.

"So now, what?"

"Well, first-

**"You've betrayed us after all, boy!"**

Naruto never had the chance to finish that sentence; instead, he choked on his own blood as a massive claw of _magma _sheared into his side from seemingly out of nowhere in the fog of war. The sheer force of it ripped away his left arm and most of his side in a shower of gore, obliterating his upper torso even as Luffy looked on. The attack came completely out the blue-in the time that it took for Monkey D. Luffy to blink, his ally was already dead and gone, body still simmering on the icy floor.

And then he was gone.

"I was right to keep an eye on you, Dark Prince." The admiral sounded almost smug in his confidence. "We knew it was only a matter of time before you turned on us."

Luffy was left to choke wordlessly.

"Na-

Even as he spoke a figure resolved itself from the smoke; Admiral Akainu was suddenly there, towering over him in all his great gory glory. The son of Dragon found himself inexplicably frozen with fear as he beheld the blood boilling off the man's molten arm, red vapors trailing amidst the black smoke that came with the summoning of his abillity. His mind refused to comprehend the loss of the Dark Prince, shock rooting him where he stood amidst the battlefield. He knew he needed to move, to do something, anything, but his body simply refsued to react.

_Move!_ His mind screamed at him! _Move move move!_

"One down." the mighty marine rumbled, raising a molten arm. "Now for you-_aaargh!"_

A roar tore from his mouth. Pain exploded up his spine as a wall of black fire found his back, molten fingers searing across his uniform and bearing down into his skin. Staggering away from his prize, body spasming, he managed to til his head just enough to catch sight of a shock of blond in his peripheals. The Dark Prince. Unharmed and whole, his hand still extended from the blast of hellfire that he'd flung. He was smiling, a rictus of a grin that made his already dark countenance all the more fearson.

"Oi oi oi!" He chortled. "Did you think I would go down that easily?!"

Sakazuki sputtered, eyes bulging.

"You...how..."

"Flame clone, of course" Naruto flexed an arm. "Man, I haven't had a chance to use that technique in _awhiiiiile._ I could've used Izanagi or Izanami, but I'm rather fond of my vision, ya know." As his onetime ally balked, the blond turned and glared bloody red daggers at Luffy.

"What're you doing standing there! Got get your brother! I'll join you shortly."

"But-

_"Hellhound!"_

His inferno snapped the attack up with effortless ease, a searing palm effortlessly interposing itself between the rubberman and the searing stike. Redirecting it into the ice, a cloud of steam arose, blinding. He couldn't see the Dark Prince anymore, but he certainly heard him:

"I said go!"

Luffy didn't need to be told a second time; darting off into the chaos before the admiral could draw a bead on him. Infuriated, his turned his wrath upon the one man who barred his path.

"So you've betrayed us?!"

"Betray is such a harsh word, hothead." Naruto reared his head to look up at him, lips parting in a ferocious grin. "I prefer the term _strategic misdirectionary,_ ya know? It sounds fancier. Not sure if its word, though. I'd already planned on doing this form the start anyway-I've just decided to move a little earlier. If I get to kill an admiral, well...

...that's a bonus. And I haven't even begun to play."

To his infinite charign the warlord-turned-traitor raised a leg, swathed in _hellfire_ to the knee. Indeed black flames licked across the length of his thigh, sheathing the limb in dark glory. Ice smoldered silently beneath his feet, such was its heat and intensity. The air around him seemed to bend and shimmer with heat, the very atmosphere boiling away as he continued to lift his bent leg toward his chest.

"Now what did that shitty cook call this again?" The Dark Prince wondered aloud, pretending to contemplate the name of the technique he'd copied. "Diable Jam-something or other? Nah." He shook his head. "Let's try something different. Guess I won't name 'er just yet. Get ready to burn, asshat!" Without another word or warning he lurched forward, eyes blazing. Sakazuki instinctively raised a limb to parry but the blond was gone again, vanishing before his very eyes. Then that hellish heel slammed into his face. Then came the fists.

Pain.

Akainu was tossed left, right, then left again, being thrown around in every direction as the blond assailed him from every angle. He could not believe it. This power, this strength, it existed only in Admirals. Such level of power could _only_ exist in members of the elite marinse. Not some pirate upstart of Silver's bloodline! He had to pull himself together...had, to defeat this enemy beating him down...for justice! He refused to lose like this! No! Unacceptable! Inexcusable! He was a marine! An Admiral! An elite! He would not die here!

_'I will not!'_

Somewhow, he managed to squint through this haze of pain enough to see the next blow coming. Instead of losing a limb he sustained a shallow gash across his uniform, the searing swore dragging a thin line of agony across his skin.

Snarling Sakazuki swayed his way out of the deadly barrage and created some distance between them. He needed time to recover, to compose himself. Surely, he reasoned, if he had that chance, then he would be able to defeat this upstart, elemental superiority or no-_oh dear. _When he raised his gaze hesaw only darkness. Susanoo swelling before his vision, its great black blade bearing down on him with only one intention. Death. It seemed to shrink before his very eyes at that thought, the hellish creature of flame and bone molding itself to the Prince's body like a second as he looked on.

He saw only one thing in those golden eyes.

Destruction.

Cold dread filled him, knotting in his chest. In all his years as a marine-from a mere cadet to this very day-he couldn't recall having felt the emotion known as fear. But he felt it now. It trickled down his spine, laughing at him. Mocking him for his powerlessness.

"I WILL NOT LOSE TO-

_Thud._

His words ended as a sickening squelch of a sound fillled the air. Trembling, Sakazuki dared to lower his gaze. What he found there turned his blood to ice. Naruto's blade had found its mark in his stomach, the nodachi sliding silently home into his gut and erupting out his back. I'm dying. Even as he realized this, the dreaded Red Dog of the marines could feel himself slipping. He tried to hold on, fought to cling to life with the tenacity and ferocity that had so defined his career. And for a moment, he actually succeeded. Then Naruto twisted the blade in the wound. And it began to burn.

Their eyes met. He looked almost sad, Sakazuki thought.

"Repent in the afterlife." the blond murmured.

Then his blade cut across mercilessly, bifurcating him.

_And the life of a Marine ended._

**A/N: FWAH! Suuuuch a long chapter! My eyes are KILLING ME! Although, being a skeleton...I HAVE NO EYES! YOHO! Hope you enjoyed it! My damn keyboard keeps acting up, so I apologize for any grammatical errors. There we have it! The War of the Best is in full swing! Luffy's finally arrived! And I've dropped a juicy little hint as to why Itachi wanted Ace to kill him. Obviously Blackbeard is involved somehow, but the quest remains, to what purpose? I also hope you enjoyed the NarutoxHancock moments scattered throughout this chapter. Those two are just so cute together. As to if this will remain a harem, all I can say is...perhaps.**

**Naruto has perfect Susanoo! To clarify, he possess both the abilities of the Hellfire fruit and Itachi's own unamed fruit. He has two! Which means an epic clash with Blackbeard is most certainly in the making. Remember, Luffy doesn't know WHY Naruto hates Ace. He only has a sense that they don't get along. ****What will Naruto's decision be?! Ally with Luffy and Whitebeard, or stand against them? Will Ace live or die?! So many questions! Find out next time on Prince of Darkness!**

**Oh, and please don't forget to review until my ears fall off. Although, being a skeleton...I have no ears to listen! YOHOHOHOHO! SKUULLL JOOOOKE! Look forward to plenty of action of next chappy people!**

**So...in the immortal words of Atlas...**

**...Review, would you kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview! And there's two of them. Its a shocker! **

**(Preview!)**

_"Gurararara," Whitebeard chortled softly. "Rayleigh, huh? You're the son of that squirt?"_

_Naruto snorted._

_"I don't want to hear those words coming from you, old man." Abruptly, his gaze narrowed. "By the way, I suggest you stay on guard around Squard."_

_...what're you getting at, brat?"_

_Naruto shrugged._

_"Just now I sensed killing intent."_

* * *

><p><em>"Zehahahaha!" Teach roared out a laugh. "Well, well, well! Look who it is! Its been awhile...Naruto! How's Itachi doing? Oops!" A snaggle-toothed sneer immediately followed those words. "I forgot! He's dead! Ain't that a bitch."<em>

_The Dark Prince frowned, one hand straying to the hilt of his sword. "You...how do you know Itachi?"_

_"Know him? Ha!" Another booming laugh. "He was terrified of me! I wanted that power of his, but from the looks of it he gave it to you, instead! Now that's ballsy!"_

_No..._

_All his world ceased to be. He was only dimly aware of Hancock's hand on his shoulder, barely concsious of his own breathing. Still Teach rambled onward, completely unaware of the silent hate building in the blond less than three feet away. This close Naruto could smell the stink of rum and sweat on him, a heady mix that served only to fan the flames of his rage even further._

_"But he couldn't do it himself! No wonder he had Ace-kun off him...ZEHAHAHAHA!"_

_"..."_

_Gears clicked together in Naruto's mind and sprayed oily sparks of fury. Ace's bloody fist, tearing through Itachi's chest. His brother's small smile in death, as though he were secretly satisfied with his demise. The word "Blackbeard". That man. This man. One and the same. Marshall D. Teach. Blackbeard. The one behind it all. And all this time...he'd been blaming Ace. A wave of disgust flooded him. But it was more than that. Rage. He had been fooled. Deceived. White-hot fury, cleansing in its purity, burned away all the guilt that had fillled him for the last hour._

_Then he pounced._

_Blackened fingers clenched around the hilt of his sword, yanked it free. He wasn't sure if Blackbeard noticed; all he could hear was the man's laughter in his ears-it blotted out all else. Anger overcame him in a dark tide of temesptuous fury. All his world ceased to be. Almost before he knew it, his hands were wrapped around the larger man's nedc._

_A wordless roar erupted from his throat._

**_"MOTHERFUCKER! I'LL KILL YOU!"_**

**R&R! =D**


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